


The Story Of Your Life

by MJ0310



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Feelings, First Dates, Flirting, Friendship, Marivi doesn´t have Alzheimer, Secrets, Slow Burn, Surprises, alternative universe, what if
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:50:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 41,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26500177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MJ0310/pseuds/MJ0310
Summary: ***ON HIATUS***I promise to return very soon with the finished story. I would like to prepare and write in advance again :) means now waiting and later getting everything within a few days ;)Regards MJ0310———————————————What if Sergio and Raquel crossed paths one year before the heist at the Royal Mint? A chance encounter at Hanoi forces them together which ultimately reopens old wounds of the past and will test boundaries.Will the reclusive yet mysterious Sergio win the love of Inspector Murillo?Will Raquel allow herself to be loved after suffering years of abuse?Will Sergio be able to give Raquel the justice she deserves or would his betrayal break her beyond repair?‘The Story of Your Life’ takes you on a journey that brings two very different individuals together in the most unconventional way.
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 136
Kudos: 272





	1. Notebook and Wallet

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone :)  
> A few months ago I talked with our fandom Queen Evendale about the idea of this story. She encouraged me to write it down and here it is. So thank you my dear friend for your lovely words, the trust I could write this story and the high amount of inspiration you always give me due to your amazing stories. 
> 
> I want to thank Maria for challenging me so much, for her honest words and for making this idea much better. I am so happy you helped me, even when I was about to give up with the first ideas. 
> 
> I want to thank ch_rainlily for reading, checking, for giving me the hardest critic ever and for her lovely words to the chapters. You´re truly amazing and this during your exam time. I can't thank you enough. :*
> 
> And last but not least. I want to thank Meg for proofreading the chapters again and again, for helping me with ideas and finding the correct words. You´re truly the best beta in the world and such a wonderful friend. I´m endlessly grateful, you accepted my request otherwise I wouldn't find my american twin ;) 
> 
> And now, enough...
> 
> Enjoy the “Story of your Life” and let me know what you all think :)

Madrid, 14 months before the first heist.

“Good morning Salva.” The older man behind the bar greeted his friendly guest just like everyday, when the man with the dark grey suit and the black tie walked into his cafe called Hanoi. “The same as always?” Antonio asked him, and the barkeeper already knew the answer. It would be the same order as the last 8 weeks, a cup of black coffee, the sandwich of the day and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and every Sunday he would ask for the homemade churros or the almond tarte. 

The guest with the black glasses and beard would stay exactly one and a half hours, totally lost in a small notebook. It was like he wanted to memorize everything in this little book. Now and then he started to frown, shaking his head vehemently, only to open his jacket to use the pen from the inside pocket. Hastily he struck out some lines and rewrote them, as fast as he could - only to start reading his notebook from the beginning.

Salva was a quiet, friendly yet strange man. He always smiled politely, gave a nice tip and had the most perfect timing, one could really set his clock after him, the barkeeper thought.

“Hello Antonio, yes, please.” The guest smiled shyly back, pushed the bridge of his glasses with one finger back onto his nose, only to use a second finger to adjust the glasses. He walked to the end of the cafe, to take the same seat for 8 weeks. The last table at the window, his back to the wall to observe the entire cafe. Just like any other day, Anontio would ask him if he wanted something sweet and he would always say no, but he would try it anyway.

“Salva, my lovely wife made a Mallorcan almond cake. Do you want a piece?”

He was about to turn around, because he knew the answer and it was mid of the week, when Salva surprised him.

“You know what Antonio, today is such a great day, I will give it a try.” He smiled brightly at the barkeeper and turned his attention back to his notebook, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Alright, I will bring it immediately. What happened that you’re having such a great day?” Antonio was really curious, what happened to change his schedule. It was obvious that he was well organized.

“I found the perfect solution to solve my apple cider logistics problem.” A smile from ear to ear appeared on his face and the barkeeper had no other option but to smile too.

“Salva, this sounds fantastic. Maybe when you're further into your business, you can give me a tasting and I will add your cider to my menu.” 

Salva lowered his head and smiled shyly. “Thank you Antonio, it will take awhile but when I think it's perfect I will come back to you.” He laughed heartily and turned back to his notes.

Antonio started to prepare the sandwich and the tarte for Salva and thought back to the first appearance of Salva and his always visible notebook. He was used to seeing a lot of people during his work day, his cafe was near the Royal Mint of Spain and very famous due to his wife’s homemade cakes. In the mornings it was more crowded, a lot of students and police officers from down the street would visit him, for a good coffee and some sandwiches. 

_ One day, eight weeks ago, he noticed Salva for the first time.The guy wore a grey suit with a black tie and had a very serious expression on his face. He greeted the older man behind the bar and walked straight back to the last table at the end of his cafe, placed himself on the left side of the two seater and let his gaze wander through the room. Antonio took a menu, arrived at his table and put the card in front of the new guest. A small smile spread over his face. “Good morning. Do you want something to drink?” The barkeeper asked. _

_ “I...uhm…a black coffee please.” The man said hesitantly and pushed his glasses with his index finger back onto his nose. A typical motion, Antonio started to notice more and more during his daily visits.  _

_ “Very well, if I may give a suggestion, take a piece of cake before it is sold out. My wife is quite famous for her almond tarte.” The man winked and went back behind the bar. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw how the black haired man took a small notebook from his jacket, together with a pencil and put it onto the table. As he came back, with a tray full of beverages for other visitors, the steaming coffee was placed in front of the man, that's when he raised his head and ordered the sandwich of the day, an orange juice and the praised tarte. _

_ Antonio saw the man every day for the next 4 days, and he didn't think too much about him, but when he continued to visit his coffee shop and ordered the same things every day, he started to become curious _ _. _

_ “Good morning again…Mr.?” He let the question linger in the air to receive an answer from the tall man with the black framed glasses.  _

_ “Martin. Salvador Martin, but everyone calls me Salva. And good morning to you too...I...uhm...and your name?” Salva returned the question back to the man behind the counter.  _

_ He laughed and answered. “Antonio, just Antonio.”  _

_ “Very well, Antonio.” Salva smiled briefly and headed towards the same table he used everyday. When Antonio approached with a big cup of coffee in his hand, he noticed that Salva was surprised. _

_ “How did you know I would order a coffee?” He replied surprised. _

_ “You ordered the same for the last three weeks, it's unlikely you will order something else today.” He laughed heartily and placed the cup in front of him. A bit shy, Salva stroked his hand over the back of his head and let a small laugh escape.  _

_ “Am I really that obvious, Antonio? But I think you´re right. So I will take the same as always.” _

_ “Ok, orange juice and the sandwich will arrive in a minute.” Still smiling as he thought about his guest, he prepared the food for him and arrived back at the table to place the ordered food in front of him. Before he turned around to walk away, a thought crossed his mind which he wanted to know for a while, and today it seemed like the man in his late thirties or early forties was talkative. “Salva, what is the secret about this notebook? I always see you writing and studying it over and over and I'm just too curious.” A kind smile spread over his face as he waited patiently for an explanation.  _

_ Salva pushed his glasses back onto his nose and raised the small book from the table. “This, Antonio...this is the idea of my father's project to make the best cider in Spain. I...I want to finalize his project and this little thing here is my second mind.” Salva smiled timidly at him. _

_ “Wow, this sounds very honorable of you to finish his project. I'm sure you will succeed, since you so often study this little book. Thank you for telling me, Salva.” With that, Antonio left his table and continued his day, the small conversation now in the back of his head. _

When Antonio came back to the present he had already finished preparing Salva’s order. That was when one of the female police officers entered his shop with a smile on her lips and reached his counter.

“Hi Toni, can you prepare me a coffee to go?” She asked with a bit of a hurry.

“Oh, hello Raquel. Give a minute, I just have to bring this to a guest, alright?”

“Yes, of course.” She turned her gaze to the entrance, checking her mobile, giving the shop and her surroundings no attention. 

Absorbed by her mobile phone, she didn’t notice how he put the coffee beside her onto the counter. “Raquel...Raquel...your coffee.”

“Oh...ehm...thank you Toni. I´m sorry, it's a horrible day and it just started. Bye.” She said, as she took her beverage, after leaving a few euros at the counter and walked with a fast pace outside.

If Antonio had known that his cafe would be the beginning of a love story so unique like a fingerprint or that this story would reveal one of the biggest cover-ups in Spanish history or if he had known that in 24 months a huge amount of money would appear in his bank account...he would tell fate itself it was totally crazy…

***

“Angel, please. At the moment I´m not ready to listen. The night has been a disaster, I'm exhausted and I just want to go home. Call me later so we can talk.” Raquel said, frustrated, as she was about to walk out of their office. She turned the lights off, hitting the switch with more force than usual. “Go home and enjoy the time with your wife, I´m sure Mari Carmen would be happy to see you from time to time.” Her voice was bitter this morning, but she couldn´t suppress her last sentence. It was so tiresome for her to hear about his mundane marriage everyday - his lack of sex life but his desire for her. Raquel started to feel sick, whenever he mentioned that  _ one  _ terrible night they had sex after her divorce. Yes, she felt lonely and hurt and for a split second he gave her a feeling of warmth and security, he didn’t make her feel terrible like Alberto had so often. Still she regretted every single moment of that night. Angel was supposed to be a good friend, her only friend since she left Alberto. She knew she should treat him with more kindness, but right now she couldn´t. Of course he had helped her through her darkest hours one year ago but he had a terrible sense of picking topics in the most inappropriate times ever.

Raquel was now angry at herself, why the hell couldn't she just forget about all this, about that night, about Angel, about how fucked up her life was at the moment. Without even turning around, she waved goodbye to him over her shoulder leaving her partner speechless, which was for the best at that moment. She sighed loudly, as she approached the door to exit the police department, she lifted her head only to notice that it was still semi dark outside, she checked her watch if she was maybe too early, but that was not the case. In fact it was past her time to go home. When she walked outside, the rain was still coming down in buckets and a cold wind blew angrily through the streets. Instantly, she felt a headache forming in the back of her head and the events of the night came rushing back to her mind.

_ It was a quiet night shift for her and Angel. They had completed some paperwork, finished some protocols and closed a long term case, when they received a call from the neighboring police station. A man in his late fifties threatened his wife and son with a gun and it seemed serious for their colleagues: if it wasn’t so, she wouldn't have called them for help. As fast as they could, they drove to the mentioned address, a small detached house a few kilometers away from the center of Madrid. It was already besieged by the whole neighborhood, the press, several police cars and ambulances, the lights blaring and irritating their eyes, all while she felt a throbbing pain in the back of her head. Both approached the leading officer in this case, who told her and Angel what they needed to know. _

_ The man was Diego Alonso Garcia, married to his wife of 23 years, two children and a good job as a security guard at the Bank of Spain - nothing out of the ordinary with his story so far. What he hadn’t known up until an hour ago was that his son Javier was not his own flesh and blood and this new discovery made him lash out like a mad man. His wife had confessed to an one night stand during his absence for his military training, with their former neighbor due to loneliness on both sides. His other son called the police and now Raquel and Ángel were in front of the house.  _

_ Raquel always used a pen to tie her hair into a bun, readying for a negotiator “fight”. It took her at least three hours to convince him that she should be allowed to enter his house. When she entered the threshold, Ángel was behind her but stayed outside the house. The tension in the house was so thick it could be cut with a knife, Raquel turned her head, searching for the family members and their dog, who seemed to be gathered in the corner of the living room.  _

_ When she saw the woman and her son in the corner of their home, with fearful expressions on their faces, her mind went straight to an evening with Alberto. Raquel hid Paula behind her while Alberto was shouting in rage, he forced both of them into the corner of their kitchen. Paula cried and clinged at her while Raquel tried to keep her own fears aside to give Paula the strengths she needed.  _

_ Raquel walked carefully but in thoughts into the room and she felt that Garcia started to become more nervous when she came a centimeter closer, his movements began to be more clumsy and abrupt. She noticed him glancing at her while she walked further into the room and he tensed.  _

_ This exact expression on García’s face was the same she recognized at Alberto and the memory shot through her like a lighting. With the next step, Raquel stepped on a squeaking dog toy, and in an instant the dog started to bark and Senor Garcia became frightened. Yet all Raquel saw was red rage in his face, Raquel noticed this and raised her hands slowly in the air. Without any warning, a shot came off while his hands trembled and went straight into the ceiling above his family. In shock with his own behavior, he started to argue loudly and demanded that she should leave his house immediately. She tried to diffuse the situation but he was now in more rage than before. She knew by the ticking seconds that she couldn´t win the case anymore and it was on Ángel to finish the mission. While she walked out of the house still with raised hands he lamented that women were not trustworthy - they were bitches and liars.  _

_ As soon as Raquel was outside, she pulled the pen from her hair, allowing her long strands to cascade down her back. Never in her life had she felt more useless in her job as a trained negotiator, she got distracted by her own thoughts and fears and she was angry at herself that she didn't even have the chance to save the family. She had failed and couldn’t even calm an angry man down, but she thought about the other cases which were successful, but still...one lost case is one too many. Raquel heard Ángel talking to him and a while later Señor Garcia gave up, too fast for her taste. Again, a slap to her face, Ángel was not even a negotiator. She remembered his words through the earpiece, which were tender, calm and with an appropriate amount of force - exactly how she had learned in her training, many years ago, just like how she had talked to the man. In the end, Garcia had let the gun fall onto the floor, full of remorse, apologized for his outburst and took his beloved son and wife in his arms. Javier was not biologically his son, but he raised him and loved him regardless and that would not change so much. Still the police had to take him to the station for a full report and interrogation.  _

_ When Raquel was about to talk to Señor Garcia, she got an urgent call from commissioner Sanchéz. He heard about the outcome of the case, and how Ángel saved the whole situation. He degraded her by a formal written reprimand that would be filed at the department. It was not the first time he did that to her. Every time she had a slight error in judgement, something trivial happened or she messed up even a little bit he would demote her to the most fucking minimal and ridiculous tasks even when she did everything accurately and always played by the book. Again she couldn´t understand what the hell was going on with him? Did he never have such days, where everything didn’t work in his favor? In the 9 years at the police department she had made only one mistake, besides that she didn't do anything wrong and her reports were accurate, even more accurate than Angel´s. She just did her job...and did it well, at least she would say so...but apparently she was wrong. She felt so small, fragile and vulnerable. Why was the universe so unbelievably unfair to her...what did she do to deserve so much frustration and pain?  _

A strong pain shot through her head and she came back to her senses. Sighing again, she reached for the umbrella in her purse and walked out of the department, the cold yet humid air invading her senses as she started to walk. Her car was parked near her favorite cafe, and the thought of a good hot coffee in silence at Hanoi sounded very inviting at the moment. Deep in her thoughts and with a solemn expression on her face, she reached the Hanoi a few minutes later. Without really knowing how she got there.

Raquel opened the door and entered the familiar cafe, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, tomato cheese sandwiches and cinnamon invaded her senses and she instantly felt better. This feeling lasted only one second when she saw how crowded Hanoi was, this was really not her day. The only free seat she could see from the entrance was in the back corner of Hanoi at a table with a man with black hair, black framed glasses and a grey suit with a matching tie. 

She was about to turn around and leave when the owner greeted her cordially. “Good morning Raquel. Oh my dear. What happened? You look like ten days of rain.” He said and gave her a compassionate smile.

“Oh...Hi Toni. It was a rough night.” She turned her head toward the back of the coffee shop, to have a look at the big screen with the morning news. And of course, she saw herself walking out of the house, while taking the pen from her hair. These goblins of reporters filmed everything and reminded her about this case. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Toni followed her gaze, shaking his head slightly.

“Alright dear, don´t say anything more. I will make you a Toni special and chocolate chip cookie for free to lighten your mood. The only remaining seat is over there.” He gestured with his head toward the direction where the man in the grey suit was sitting, focused on a page in his little book. “I will bring you everything in two minutes.”

“Oh yes that would be nice, but please decaffeinated coffee, I will have to sleep and we know how strong Toni´s special could be.” Raquel smiled for the first time in hours and it felt good. “Thank you Toni, you always know how to cheer me up.” She said and walked towards the back of the shop.

“Excuse me, is this seat still vacant?” She asked the man with the black hair and glasses.

He looked up and their eyes met for a second; insecure, he gazed from left to right and back to her. “Uhm...yes sure.” He said nervously and gestured to the seat opposite to him.

“Thank you, I will not stay very long.” Raquel gave him a short tired smile and took her mobile phone from her jacket to check the messages: 4 voicemails from Ángel, 3 missed calls from her mother and a good night message from Paula. She would definitely not listen to the messages from Ángel, maybe in the evening or she could just delete them. All she wanted right now, was the taste of coffee on her lips and this chocolate cookie and after that, she would have breakfast with Paula, take her to school and then she would have the longest hot shower of her life and sleep until Paula came back from school. This sounded like a very good plan.

She noticed how warm it was in the coffee shop with all the people, so she took off her jacket and stuffed it into her purse. She glanced shortly to her table neighbor, who was still lost in his book. Written in big letters on one of the pages she could read “VALENCIA”, he probably wrote about this city for a blog. She thought it could also be a nice weekend trip with Paula and her mother. She would definitely save this idea for later. But when Antonio reached her table she forgot this thought right away. 

“Here Raquel, a Toni special, decaf of course and the cookie.” He placed both in front of her and as he began to leave the table again, Raquel stopped him.

“Wait a moment, I would like to pay.” She turned around to take the wallet from her purse. “Thank you again, you're my hero of the day.”

She was about to take a bite of her cookie, when her phone started to ring. Raquel gave her neighbor an apologetic look, who didn't look up once and answered her call.

“Yes?” 

“Raquel, good I finally reached you.” Her mother spoke fast and with a worried voice to her. “Paula is sick, she threw up three times in a row and she feels hot. I can't calm her down and she is crying for you. When will you come home?”

That was the last thing she needed today, a sick crying Paula. She put the cookie back onto the plate and for the first time she really looked at the man in front of her. He was writing very fast in his book and didn't notice her at all. “I´m on my way, give me 20 minutes...Do we need something from the pharmacy?”

“No, we have everything at home...but...no...can you bring some tea for her?” She heard rummaging sounds in the background. “No, nevermind, we have the tea. See you soon.” Before Raquel could say anything, her mother ended the call. She covered her face with both hands, rubbed it two times and reached for her purse. In a swift move she pulled the jacket out, while she started to get up, not noticing that her wallet fell and landed on the double seater. Her coffee and the cookie not even touched, she left without saying a word. In a fast paced motion she exited Hanoi.

***

Sergio didn't dare to look up while she was talking on the phone, he tried as hard as possible to ignore everything around him and concentrate on his notes in the small book. With precision and accuracy he wrote down every single step of PLAN VALENCIA. But as she suddenly began to gather her belongings, without stopping to take a sip of her coffee or bite of her cookie, he quickly stole a glance at her as she was about to take her jacket from her purse. Before she turned around, he gazed down again at his notes.

She was not even gone for a few minutes, when his watch made a small ‘beep’, he checked it and noticed that it was time for him to leave. He took his jacket beside him, when he got up and walked to the exit, he saw from the corner of his eye something small on the double seater, where the woman was seated earlier. Sergio turned around and leaned over to take the brown wallet in his hands, promptly he opened it. Of course it belonged to the woman with the brown eyes and the long golden hair. There was a faded image of a man in his late forties, with the same nose and eyes. Beside that, a picture of two women who were holding a child between them. One of them had grey hair and a very happy smile on her face, the child in the middle had long brown hair, her arms were around the necks of her grandma and mother, or so he assumed. Her expression was cheerful like the older woman, to her left was that woman in a grey sweater. It appeared the photo was of her family. And a strange feeling invaded his mind for a few seconds: he would never have such a picture of a family -  _ his  _ family.

But what captured his whole attention, was the police ID right before him and he couldn't believe his eyes. His whole body was immediately filled with adrenaline, and he had to suppress a loud realization. A person really can't have so much luck in life, he thought to himself. This little ID card would act as an access point to tons of information, which would help him infinitely in the future. He memorized her name and the ID number, closed the wallet and walked with lighter steps to the counter.

“Antonio, I found this wallet, it was laying on the double seater, it's from the woman who was at my table. Can you give it back to her?” Sergio said and handed the brown leather billfold to the older man.

“Oh yes, that´s Raquel’s wallet. Thank you Salva, I will give it to her when I see her the next time. Should I mention you found it?”

“Uhm…” He was about to say no, as always, to avoid any potential personal contact but this time he had to, so he changed his mind.“...Yes. That would be nice. Thank you Antonio.” He said and walked to the exit.

The barkeeper smiled widely and called after him. “Salva you have good taste, see you tomorrow.” Confused, Sergio turned around, to see him wink at him and waved him goodbye. 

What did he mean by that? That's when it occurred to him and he felt himself turn ten shades of red as he walked out of the coffee shop. Oh no...no..no...no...that was not his intention, making Antonio think he wanted to have a date with her. Why did he say yes? He shook his head in disbelief, put on his jacket and started to walk fast through the heavy rain. He didn't care if he became soaking wet, even though it was cold today, no, he was too excited to worry about this, so he started to walk even faster. When he reached the old red door of the hangar, he ran to the board where he had several mobile phones. He took an older version of Nokia. With shaking hands he dialed the number on the tiny keys and waited until the owner of the number answered his call. The seconds until the several firewalls were down, felt like an eternity.

“Professor?” The familiar voice on the other side said in a broken Spanish.

“Yes, it's me. You won't believe what I found!”

“I hope not the terrible snack bar from our college time. I still remember being sick for days after eating the dessert.” The man laughed on the other side of the phone.

“Don´t be stupid, Ash. No, I have new research for you to do.”

“Of course you do!” He laughed again. “One moment, I have to start the program.” It was silent at the other end and Sergio heard some clicking noises from a mouse. “Start…”

“Please search for Raquel Murillo, Police ID 17090607180674.” He listened to the sound of fast typing of a keyboard. Then again silence… “Did you find something?” He asked impatiently.

“Professor? I would say you found the jackpot…” Again silence.

“Ash, what is it? Tell me.” He pushed him to an answer.

“She is a trained negotiator…”


	2. Pasta with Tomato Sauce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is Arash and how did Sergio meet him?
> 
> And what about the heist? What happened one year before?
> 
> Find out in chapter 2 - Pasta with Tomato Sauce ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :)
> 
> First of all, thanks to all for the kudos and comments. I´m still a bit overwhelmed with the reactions.  
> I´m soo happy, you like TSOML so far ;)
> 
> A huge thanks to ch_rainlily for her proofreading and the good ideas she had *.* can´t thank you enough <3
> 
> And one of the biggest hugs to Meg for proofreading this chapter three times.  
> So sorry my mind wanted to add and change a lot of things ':) 
> 
> I really can´t be happier to have such amazing beta´s!!  
> I love you ladies.
> 
> And now enough...have fun with the chapter 2 and let me know what you think :)

384 months before the first heist (or 29 years ago)

_ Once again, it was like every other day for Sergio. He was laying in his bed, alone in a room at the children’s hospital in San Sebastian. It was 6 o’clock in the morning and he was already wide awake, continuing the tales of Sinbad the Sailor. He checked the watch on his wrist, a gift from his father to let him know he was always with him. In 30 minutes, the morning round would start and he would be expected to take the bitter tasting medicine from Señora Moreno. Oh how much he disliked her! She was always grumpy, never smiled and acted harshly towards him. Instead he wished to see Señorita Sanchez, or Ana as she secretly let him call her. She was always happy and smiling, and would calm him down whenever he had a bad experience with his daily tests. What Sergio loved the most about Ana was her soothing nature, she would give him the bitter medicine with a cube of sugar, singing quietly “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”, from her favorite movie when she was a child, Mary Poppins. He even got the book from her last Easter, oh how he enjoyed the story of this extraordinary nanny with her magical umbrella. _

_ He sighed as he closed his book and became surprised when the door to his room opened before it was 6:30 am, as his watch told him. He observed two nurses steering a bed with a sleeping boy with black hair and a darker complexion into his room. He never had any company or other children in his room, except his father or his brother Andrés, because he had a rare autoimmune disease. His condition was so rare, no doctor in the region could properly treat him or find answers to his mysterious disease. Señorita Sanchez, she was the exception, she knew how to treat his ailment with compassion, and within a few months his condition started to improve drastically. _

_ “Good morning little Professor.” She said with a friendly voice and appeared at his bed. “You will have some company for the next few weeks. How is that?” She asked, looking encouragingly at him. _

_ “But, what if I get sick again?” He said in a fearful voice, remembering how his body ached due to all the painful tests. _

_ “Don´t worry.” She reached for his black wavy hair and playfully tousled it. “His name is Arash, he is also 11 years old just like you and he is very healthy but he burned his chest with scalding water. So he has to stay for a while until his wounds heal completely.” _

_ Sergio turned his head to the boy and back to the nurse and with a blank expression on his face he asked “Oh, I'm sorry. But why is he lying in my room?”  _

_ “First, this isn't your room.” Ana winked at him. “You are just one of the lucky ones here to have a room for so long to yourself and…” She raised her index finger. “...you need some friends. You´re too lonely and hide yourself behind all these books.” She gestured to the wall beside him and gave him an enthusiastic smile.  _

_ “But I don't need friends.” Sergio said in a whisper. _

_ “Oh Professor, everyone needs a friend. The day will come, when you will need a bit of help and without a friend it will be very difficult. Believe me.” She said and helped him rise from his bed, then left the room, but not before tousling his hair again. When she was gone Sergio looked at the boy again and while he laid in his bed, he thought about her words. Maybe she was right, but he didn’t know how to interact with kids of his own age. He was lost in his own thoughts, until the grumpy Señora Moreno entered the room. He braced himself and was ready to endure the whole procedure just like everyday, his morning routine had begun. _

_ The day was uneventful - from time to time a nurse checked on Arash and he was still fast asleep. Sergio continued to read his book and was lost in the adventures of Sinbad again, how he adored this hero. Sinbad knew what to do in every bad situation and how to rescue the princess. So he continued until his eyes were heavy with sleep. _

_ In the middle of the night, Sergio woke up to a whimper which grew louder until he heard Arash fully crying for his mother. Sergio climbed out of his bed and pressed the nurse button for his room neighbor. Señorita Sanchez ran into the room and turned on the night light, soothing the boy and giving him a new dose of painkillers. Within a few minutes he was again fast asleep and Sergio tried to do the same, the idea of having a room companion was still too new to him. _

_ *** _

_ The days flew by, Arash got better every day, but both boys were still too shy and didn't exchange a word with each other. They kept glancing at one another from time to time, but were lost in their own world. Only when it came to lunch and dinner time, Sergio looked over at his hospital room companion with jealousy. Arash was served a plate of pasta, beef, mashed potatoes, ice cream, and even paella while Sergio received vegetables, a dry chicken breast and rice. Oh he hated this food so much! _

_ At dinner time, Sergio once again stared at the plate of Arash - steaming pasta with tomato sauce, he really loved this meal and used to eat it a lot with his father before he had to be admitted to the hospital. Sergio remembered when Andrés, his mother, father and he all cooked together, leaving the noodles extra long, so when they inhaled them their faces would be covered with tomato sauce. A memory Sergio loved so much until everything in his life changed dramatically.  _

_ Arash saw how Sergio gazed longingly at his dinner and made a decision, without saying a word, he stood carefully and slowly, took his plate with the pasta and walked over to the slim boy with the black hair and black glasses. He replaced his plate with Sergio’s and walked back to his bed. The boy started to eat his diet friendly plate and grimaced. _

_ “This is awful. Why do you have to eat this?” Arash said disgusted, but took a bit of the broccoli on his plate. Sergio´s eyes grew wide like saucers and he didn't know how to respond to this.“You know, that pasta will not get any better when you don't eat it.”  _

_ Sergio let his view wander again between the boy and the pasta in front of him. A huge rush of joy coursed through Sergio´s veins, when he took a spoon full of pasta and shoved the noodles hungrily into his mouth. Sergio couldn´t believe his luck and when the last noodle disappeared in his mouth, he leaned back onto his pillows, completely satisfied, holding his belly. _

_ “Oh that was tasty.” Sergio was surprised by his own remark. _

_ “I'm sure it was better than mine.” Arash said, turning his head toward Sergio with a shy expression on his face. He looked back and gave him a toothy grin. Both started to laugh and from that moment on, they were friends - talking until late into the night, Sergio read the Adventures of Sinbad out loud and both dreamed about being a hero like him, sharing stories and secrets of their childhood. Sergio, didn’t want to admit it, but he was happy he had a friend now. _

_ From time to time, Arash received some visitors, all members of his family: his mother, father and two siblings. Most of the time they went outside and Sergio was alone in their room, sad that he couldn't go outside. One day, after returning from visiting with his parents, Arash looked excited and started to pace around their room. _

_ “Sergio, I have an idea.” _

_ “Which is...?” Sergio asked curiously, laying the ‘Wizard of Oz’ onto his belly. Looking at his pacing friend. _

_ “We will change your meal plan. You can't eat this awful stuff anymore, if I have to eat another green vegetable again, I will die.” Arash stopped in front of him, grimacing at the thought of vegetables again. _

_ “But how will you change that?” _

_ “I will hack their computer.” _

_ “What?” Sergio was even more curious, now sitting straight up in his bed. _

_ “I will go into their computer. I saw Señorita Sanchez adding the meal plan for the whole floor while I was walking with my family, and I thought we can change your food profile.” _

_ “But will they not notice that I normally require other food?” _

_ “No.” Arash said confidently, a side of him Sergio had never seen before. _

_ “And why?”  _

_ “A company brings the food, I saw it during a walk last week. I asked my dad and he told me. So they will never know. Remember, we always get our food with a cover. Sergio this is perfect.” Arash’s eyes were shining with excitement. _

_ Sergio was still not convinced. “What did you say about a computer? Do you know how this works?” _

_ “No, but it looks easy when Ana did it… a click here and a click there…” He looked intensely at him. “I will do it tonight.” _

_ “Ash, the fire breathing dragon has her shift tonight.” The nickname they invented for Señora Moreno. “What if she sees what you´re doing? What if she catches you? What if she assigns you to another room? I don't think it's a good idea.” _

_ “She won't. Those things will not happen and do you know why?” He winked at him, while Sergio shook his head. “You will help me. You're insanely smart.” _

_ “But…” Sergio started. _

_ “No but´s...tell me when the dragon starts her nightly rounds...” _

_ *** _

_ Both laid wide awake, planning their operation until it was nearly midnight. “Arash, it's nearly eleven. The dragon should be in the nurse room now, to have her dinner. We have exactly 20 minutes.” Sergio whispered anxiously. “I hope no one will call for her.”  _

_ “Don't talk crazy, nothing will happen. You´re the lucky guy here.” His room neighbor gave him a toothy grin, started to remove the blanket from his body and walked to the door of their room. “Sergio, you know what to do?” _

_ “Yes.” The Iranian boy left the room and Sergio counted slowly up to 100 and followed his friend. He looked around the corner into the dimly lit corridor, and started to walk towards the nurse’s station, but he couldn't see Arash so he started to frantically whisper his name. “Arash? Arash?” _

_ When he finally saw him at the last computer at the floor station, he couldn't believe his eyes, how fast the Iranian boy let his finger fly over the keyboard like a musical instrument. Sergio couldn't move a muscle, he was so fascinated by what was happening in front of him, he just stared at his friend. _

_ “What? Go...you know what your task is.” Arash turned to him with a bright smile and a nod, he gave his friend a sign to go. _

_ “Yes, you´re right.” He was so nervous that he touched the bridge of his nose to adjust his pair of glasses back into place. He walked to the end of the corridor and knocked at the door of the nurse room. The door opened after a curse on the other side and grumpy Señora Moreno rose in front of him to her full intimidating height. _

_ “What is it?” She said in a pissed voice. _

_ “I...I...uhm...I'm not feeling well.” Sergio said, again he touched the bridge of his nose, but did not dare blink. “Can...can I call my father? I know it's very late, but I miss him and he always helps me when I´m not feeling well.” His eyes filled with tears as he gazed up to her. _

_ She rolled her eyes, and without a word, she firmly took him by his shoulder and walked with quick steps back into the kitchen. “Here. Just five minutes.” She said and placed herself back onto the chair, still mumbling petulantly. Sergio couldn't believe it worked, he was about to smile but suppressed this emotion and turned to the telephone. He dialed some numbers and faked a conversation with his dad, during the conversation he was able to let some tears fall down his cheek, a masterpiece in his eyes. When she turned back to him after a few minutes, he knew his time was up and he hoped Ash would be back in their room.  _

_ When suddenly the door of the nurse’s room opened, his heart stopped beating for a few seconds. Sergio was sure he would see Arash caught in the act by another nurse, who would bring him to the fire spitting dragon. If this was the case, he would never forgive himself that he agreed to this plan. He turned quickly to the door and saw Senorita Sanchez in the doorway. A huge relief ran through his veins, when he saw it was just her. She smiled at him and entered the room to start her shift. _

_ “What are you doing here, professor?” She asked while walking to her locker, taking off her jacket. _

_ “I...uhm...I…” He started. _

_ “He wasn't feeling well and called his father. And now shut up and go. You got what you wanted.” The grumpy nurse hissed in the most unfriendly tone he had ever heard from her. _

_ “No need to be grumpy.” The younger woman mentioned, while taking Sergio softly by his shoulders and shuffling him out of the room, leaving a mumbling Señora Moreno behind them. “So professor, go quickly to your room and sleep. I'm sure, tomorrow you will be better.” She ruffled his hair and went back to the nurse’s room, leaving him alone in the corridor. _

_ With a racing heart, Sergio walked back to their room, when he passed the nurse station he couldn't see Arash so it appeared everything had worked well. Sergio slipped quickly into their room and saw Arash fake sleeping in his bed. A feeling of pure ecstasy rushed through his body and he suppressed a smile. When the door closed behind him, he started to laugh, so hard his belly ached and tears were streaming down his cheeks. Arash turned around, both shared a beaming look and laughed into their pillows. _

_ “For the next 6 weeks, you will not see any green vegetables.” Arash laughed with joy. _

_ *** _

Madrid 14 months before the heist... 

“She is a trained negotiator…” Arash said with a surprised voice. “How is it possible you have so much luck? How did you get this information?” Bombarding him with questions. 

Still with the phone to his ear, Sergio threw a fist into the air, repeating this movement many times. He couldn't believe it, to have  _ this  _ much luck. Of all people, she was at his table, she lost her wallet and he had the luck to find it. His mind was running wild with all possible scenarios for his plan. He returned from his thoughts, when he heard the voice at the other end of the line, repeating his name over and over again.

“Professor? Are you still there?”

“Yes, yes...Ash.” He ran his hand through his black hair. “I will tell you later. But is there more information about her?”

“Let me see…” a short pause lingered. “Yes, I will send it to you. Do you need anything else?” 

“No, I think that's all, maybe run a background check of the people she's working with. Just in case.”

“Alright Prof. I will send you the results within the next week, I have another operation to prepare...oh and before I forget…” Ash started again. ”We haven‘t talked about it yet, but I would suggest you add an IT specialist to the team.”

“I have one. You.” He said shortly.

“That's not enough, you need someone who can help you on site. You know, connect or repair lines, change the cameras, just oversee operations when I have to sleep. You know, those types of things.” He laughed.

“I thought it would be enough having your help, but maybe you´re right. My brother is dexterous with women, but not with computers and the Serbians can´t help, either. They are specialists in their own fields. Okay.” He said approvingly. “You have someone in mind, right?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. He beat me in my own business? Can you believe that?”

Sergio chuckled on his line. “You're getting old.” 

“Hey...stop that!” Ash replied. “Anyway, he's young, very fast, nearly untraceable, he can hack security systems like a virtuoso playing his instrument. I have never seen anything like this.”

“He's trustworthy?”

“Yes, we did three projects together over the last two years.”

“I need his contact information and a photo. I want to check him out, but don’t tell him anything without my consent.” Sergio spoke with a low voice.

“Alright Professor. Adios.”

“Thank you.” With that he ended the call and let himself fall into his chair, throwing the phone in a swift motion onto the table. His heart was beating fast, with the news he had received only a few minutes ago. He let his thoughts wander about every possibility and the good or bad outcomes which could impact his plan of robbing the Royal Mint. Just then he noticed how soaking wet he was, he started to feel cold and decided he needed to change his clothes.

He put the old phone back in the drawer and left the hangar with quick steps, as the rain started to fall in thick droplets, he started to run. Only four minutes later, with heavy breath and soaking wet, he reached the front door of his two room apartment he called his home for 3 years. As he entered the small flat, he went directly to the bathroom. Removing his wet clothes, he hopped into the shower, letting the hot water stream down his body. 

While he just stood there, his mind wandered to this woman, how tired she looked as she received what he assumed to be bad news over the phone which made her appear even more exhausted. He felt a bit sorry for her that she had lost her wallet, but to his advantage, she was already driving around Madrid trying to find it. His plan was to gain her trust and receive the information he needed. He would play with her, like a piece on his chess board, the consequences be damned.

The rage boiled inside him and he clenched his fists. Everyone who was involved in fucking law enforcement or supported this unjust system deserved everything coming to them. After all, she was just one of the system’s chess pieces, who believed and worked for the greater good. Oh did he hate this system, how much he had suffered due to this system and how he became lonely because he lost his father due to this system. Sergio was 12 years old when they shot his father in front of a bank, he had robbed the bank only to pay for his child’s hospital bills. How was it possible that a child, who was sick for years, was treated like this, without any sympathy or assistance? Angry tears burned in his eyes, he felt them pouring down his face but were immediately washed away by the streaming water, he couldn't find pity for this woman and certainly not for those she worked for. He would do everything in his power to support the resistance and begin retribution.

The sound of an incoming message on his phone took him out of his thoughts, he immediately turned off the faucet of the shower, dried himself quickly and walked with a towel around his waist to grab his mobile on the kitchen counter. Arash had texted him to check his emails. Sergio took place at the chair beside the counter, as he opened his laptop and checked what the iranian man had just sent him. When Sergio opened the file, attached to the email, he recognized the woman in the photo, she was the same one who had shared his table. The photo in her file looked much better, she didn’t look so tired, she had a glow on her face and sparkle in her eyes which was evident even in a simple photo.

Raquel Murillo. Born, 18th of June, one daughter (7 years old), divorced (approximately one year), living in Puerta Bonita. On the police force for 10 years. Completed two months of basic patrol, a year later she completed her training as a negotiator and inspector, which he found impressive after such a short time. Six months of transferring prisoners, maternity leave for six months. Only? She really appeared to enjoy her assignments, working with the intelligence unit and maximum security. He read the rest of her credentials, like a shopping list, she received several diplomas, certificates and recognitions during her 10 years but what made him suspicious was she never received any promotions, which she deserved without a doubt based on her past capabilities. What was he missing? Clearly she was overqualified, perhaps there was missing information in her file. He made a mental note to ask Ash to do more digging into her past. She couldn’t be a dirty cop! In fact, as far as he could see, she always had to do the grunt work, he again felt a bit sorry for her.

Sergio closed the file and opened the next message in his inbox, it contained a photo of a young guy with dark hair, a name and an address. He wrote the information of Anibal Cortez down. He would check out that boy soon. The idea, Arash had, was indeed not a bad one. He truly needed someone who would connect, repair and generally take care of the technical aspects in the Royal Mint, besides that maybe he would have an idea how they could communicate without using the newest miracles of technology capable of being tapped.

But first, he needed to calm down and think about his next steps. He raised from his chair and finished dressing. Raquel Murillo occupied his mind the entire time, he couldn’t help but strategize and think how he would approach her. That she would do it on her own soon, would be a surprise for him...

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.  
> Until next week :)
> 
> You can also find me on twitter: linda_mj0310
> 
> See you there (imagine how Itzi said it 🤩)


	3. Sandwiches & Origamis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a hard day for Raquel and she went through a hard morning.  
> Not to forget, that she lost her wallet...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :)
> 
> First of all, thanks to everyone who left a comment or a kudo.  
> This means the world to me and is one of the biggest motivations a writer can get.  
> I´m really over the moon that already so much of you read the start of this story which will be a long one ;)  
> So stay tuned...
> 
> Second of all, this is an alternative universe so I made some small ammendments to the original characters. In my story Marivi won´t suffer due to Alzheimer or dementia. I have this enough in my own family and this should be reason enough...so please don´t be mad at me for changing this. Beside that...Marivi is a tiny star here ;) you will find out in this and later chapters.
> 
> Third of all...A huge thanks goes to my two awesome and lovely beta´s Meg and ch_rainlily for your endless effort to read the chapters sometimes twice, because my crazy mind won´t stop to add more. Also for sooooo many ideas, suggestions and your believe in this story. I don´t deserve you two and I´m still mind blown you agreed to work with me.  
> I love you ladies <3<3<3<3
> 
> Because I´m not really good to write long notes, I will stop here...so have fun and as always...until next week :)

Madrid, 14 months before the first heist

It had been exhausting two and a half hours since Raquel arrived at her house. Paula had caught the flu, and the beginning was always the worst. She felt like thanking someone between heaven and hell, that she had missed Paula throwing up, she couldn't have handled witnessing that.

Paula was crying and sobbing when Raquel entered her room. She knew the only thing that would soothe Paula was to pull the little girl onto her lap, pressing her as tightly as possible to her chest and stroking her hair softly until she stopped crying. She rocked Paula in her arms until she was completely calm, planting soft kisses on her forehead and whispering against her hot skin how much she loved her. Raquel settled her chin lightly on top of her daughter’s head and breathed in her fruity shampoo, mixed with Paula’s fragrance of sweet cookies and baby powder. She loved this smell so much, and even when Paula was sick as hell, it grounded and calmed Raquel to have her baby girl so near. 

Softly she whispered against the side of her daughter's head. “Let's change your sheets and we will lay down together. What do you think?” Paula nodded and Raquel gave her another small kiss on her forehead. “Come, change into your favorite pyjamas and I will make the bed and some tea for you.” Raquel started to change Paula's minion patterned sheets to her fluffy pink ones, then proceeded to prepare chamomile tea for her. When she returned, Paula was already laying in her bed, her eyes half closed with sleepiness. 

“Thank you mama.” She said in a weak whisper, as Raquel put the cup with tea on her night stand. Raquel carefully touched Paula’s forehead and it felt hot under her palm. Softly she stroked her daughter's hair a few more times and within a couple moments, Paula was fast asleep. Raquel stayed a little while longer and admired her daughter's peaceful face, as she continued to gently stroke her hair. She left her side, placing a last kiss on the side of her head, hoping her flu wouldn’t last so long.

Raquel was finally in her workspace at home, sighing loudly as she closed the door behind her. She rested her head against the door and closed her eyes, the memories of the last hours flooding her mind. What a miserable day! The thought of her night shift made her chest tighten. She felt so useless, lost, embarrassed and lonely. How much she wished to fall in someone’s arms, someone who understood her, who loved her... _again_. 

After her failed operation - as Sanchéz called it, she had received a phone call from him, he was screaming at her through the receiver, so forcefully, everyone working the same shift could hear him. None of her so-called colleagues said a word against Sanchéz, or came to her defense after the terrible phone call ended. Not even Angel, who just lowered his gaze to the floor as she searched for his support. It wasn´t exactly her fault the operation went wrong, she knew it, she had followed the negotiation manual, had done even more.

In the end _they_ were able to walk in Señor García’s home and reason with him after all. Someone like Señor Garcia had such a distaste this night for women, she was truly at a disadvantage from the start and couldn't do anything from that moment. For Sanchéz, Angel was the hero of the day, but he just ended what she had started, his only advantage on this day...he was a man.

Pure and hot rage flooded her veins and she started to shake. How was it possible this world was so unfair to her? First her fucking ex-husband, an abuser, then her work. Nothing seemed to be working for Raquel and she felt on the verge of collapsing. She sacrificed most of her time for the sake of her job, she missed many moments with Paula and valuable time with her mother and no one could give her these precious moments back. And for what? For a painful and insulting phone call? Colleagues who didn't support her even in the slightest? And a friend who didn’t feel like a friend to her anymore. What was happening to her life and why didn't she deserve a little bit of appreciation?

With painful rage in her gut, she started to undress, removing her suit jacket and pants, only in a tshirt and panties she walked with a fast pace to the punching bag, which was suspended from the ceiling. A parting gift from Alberto, and the only useful thing he ever bought in their marriage. As her mind wandered to her ex, the anger inside her grew even more thinking of all the shit he had done to her; starting with bribing Paula, telling their colleagues lies about her and last but not least he had taken the one and only piece her father had left behind before he died: his wrist watch. Just for revenge, just to make her life more of a living hell -- that fucking asshole.

With fiery fury she boxed hard, throwing punches against the bag, which started slowly swinging back and forth. With a loud smack she punched her fist against the swinging bag, again and again and again. Her anger against the world and her situation led to angry tears gathering in her eyes, and with every punch they started to run down her cheeks. Her movements became less heavy and after three more punches, she held herself against the bag, like her life depended on it, crying like she never had before. Loud sobs escaped her throat and everything that she was holding back for weeks came to the surface.

Still crying she couldn't hold herself anymore against the bag, slowly she slipped to the floor landing on her knees, hiding her face in her hands. Raquel felt so burned out and overwhelmed. Her mind was spinning with too many memories of Alberto, thoughts about Paula, her work, the unfairness of how the system handled her abuse case, her sister who betrayed her with her own ex, the loneliness and the lack of love. When her mind swirled around the word loneliness, she started to sob uncontrollably and the tears wouldn't stop falling. “Why…?” She cried against her arms.

Raquel didn't notice as a soft and warm hand was placed on her shoulder, in shock she turned around and saw her mother, crouching beside her, tenderly smiling. “My dear, why are you crying?” With both hands she took Raquel’s face and wiped away her continuous flow of tears. The small gesture broke Raquel, she threw her arms around her mother's neck and started to wail again. All her mother could do was hold her tight and wait for her to calm down, like she used to do when she was a little girl. Several minutes passed with both sitting on the floor and Raquel clutching onto her mother.

“Shhh…” Her mother repeated again and again. “Everything will be fine.”

“I'm not sure.” Raquel sniffed and pushed herself away from her mother, staring into her face with red swollen eyes.

“What makes you think that?” She asked, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket, handing it to her. A small gesture of her mother’s that Raquel loved so much, she always had a tissue in her pocket for occasions like these.

“I feel useless at work, sometimes I ask myself what I´m still doing there. Again Sanchéz called me and again he belittled me in front of my colleagues. And no one, not even Angel, stopped him or stood up for me. I don't understand why I deserve all this embarrassment and shame. I’m still dealing with this divorce battle with Alberto. All this is so exhausting. Mom, what did I do wrong?” Raquel stopped talking as her eyes filled again with tears.

“Oh Raquel, mí cariño.” She stroked her cheek and gave her a reassuring smile. “You didn't do anything wrong. At the moment everything seems to be too much for you, everything feels unfair and frustrating.” Raquel nodded shortly, gazing at her hands which were fiddling with the tissue.

“Never in my life have I felt so unhappy and lonely.” She said in a whisper and a soft sob left her lips, as her tears started to dry up.

“You're never really lonely.” Her mother said.

“That is not what I meant, mom. I know I have you and Paula. Sometimes Angel, but beside you two, I don't have any friends, thanks to Alberto, I have not even had time to meet someone new. It's so unfair. I feel like I’m running a marathon. I don’t want all this anymore…”

“Raquel, listen to me.” Her mother stopped her in the middle of her sentence, put both of her hands on Raquel’s cheeks, forcing her to look into her mother's eyes. “You are having a hard time right now, everything is not in order and just feels terrible. But believe me, one day you will meet someone, somewhere when you least expect it. Your losing streak will stop soon, everything will be orderly again. The terrible feeling inside of you will fade away and will be replaced with love. Unconditional, all consuming love. And sex, mind blowing and really good sex.” Her mother smirked at her and even Raquel lightly laughed at her words. “Until now, it wasn´t the time for you. But I believe in fate and soon you will find the center of your universe.” A single tear escaped from Raquel’s eye, she was touched. Her mother always had the right words to make her feel better.

“Thank you mom. Maybe you’re right. I love you.” Her mother kissed her forehead and got up from the floor, holding her back.

“I´m not as young anymore, to sit like this.” She laughed shortly and walked to the door. “I would suggest, you take a long hot bath and then you go straight to bed. It was a long day for you my dear, just take your time and I will take care of Paula, mija. You look so tired and like a panda.” She winked at her.

“Mom, stop that.” Raquel laughed, wiped the wetness from under her eyes and raised from the floor, to do what her mother had suggested. To her, it sounded just perfect.

***

It was early in the evening hours, when Raquel woke up, she was relieved to have two days off after such a horrible day. She walked quietly into Paula's room to find her sleeping, her favorite stuffed dog in her arms. A smile spread over her lips at this view but she decided to turn away. She walked down to the kitchen. Her mother was sitting at the kitchen island, a sudoku puzzle and a glass of wine in her hands as soup was simmering behind her. She looked up when Raquel took a place opposite to her. “How did you sleep?” Marivi said, while she poured her a non-requested glass of wine, handing it to her.

“Thank you, very good. I think I haven't slept that good in weeks.” She said, with her lips on the glass, as she downed a big gulp of the red liquid.

“Perfect, cariño.” Her mother said with a smile on her lips and placed a hand on Raquel’s hand, the one which held the glass. Her expression became serious within a second. “Stop drinking the good wine like it is water.” Her mother blurted out and Raquel started to laugh, a feeling of joy flooded her veins as she tried to calm down. How grateful she was that her mother had such a positive and good natured sense of humor.

“Yes ma’am.” Raquel chuckled, wiped the corner of her eyes and saluted.

“It’s good to see you laugh again. This suits you much more than your grumpy cat face.”

“You’re right mom. But there wasn’t anything I could laugh about for the last several weeks.” A sad smile formed on her lips, as she gazed at her mother. 

“It will change. Believe me, I can feel it in my gut.”

“Because you’re hungry.”

“This could be the reason too.” Her mother got up from her chair and walked to the stove, stirring the soup a few times with a wooden spoon to finally try it. “Oh yes, that's good.” 

“Let me try.” Raquel walked up to stand beside her mother, took the spoon and tasted the tomato soup. “You're the best chef I know.” She lay the spoon on the kitchen counter and embraced her mother tightly. “Thank you mom. What would I do without you?” 

“You would cook this soup on your own.” Both pulled away at the same time from each other and Raquel gave her a toothy grin. 

“Maybe you're right.”

“When you're in such a good mood, maybe you can go buy groceries for tomorrow. We need more tea for Paula and the fridge is nearly empty.”

Raquel started to smile. “No problem, but you couldn't tell me this yesterday?”

“Before a night shift…” Her mother touched her cheek softly. “Sure mija. And I had to wait until your mood improved, otherwise you wouldn't bring me my favorite wine, which you´re drinking too fast.”

“Mom, you´re unbelievable.” She laughed and walked to her purse in the corridor, to take the shopping list from her wallet. When Raquel couldn't find her wallet on the first search, she started to empty her purse onto the floor. Nothing.

“Mom, did you take my wallet when I was sleeping? To buy some medicine for Paulita?” Raquel asked with a tensed voice.

“No, I didn't take it. Why?”

“It's not in my purse. I will check in the car, maybe it's there.” She went outside, into the cool air of the evening, and checked every corner of her car. Even there she couldn't find it, now she started to feel nervous. All her important cards and 200€ for Paula´s savings were inside. Where could she have forgotten it or lost it, she asked herself. While walking back to the kitchen she thought about this morning, the only place where she used her purse was at Hanoi to pay for her cookie and the coffee. She had to go to Hanoi immediately, maybe Toni found it. Her watch told her she had enough time still before Hanoi would close their doors for the day. “It's also not in my car. I have to go to Hanoi, it's the only place I can imagine I lost it. When Paula wakes up, give her a kiss and tell her I’ll be back soon. Oh and please save me some of this tasty soup.” Raquel said over her shoulder, grabbing her belongings from the floor to throw them into her purse, now running to her car.

Half an hour later she arrived in front of Hanoi, praying her wallet would be there. It would be really inconvenient if she had to go from authority to authority to get new ID cards, credit cards and so on. She couldn’t imagine losing her favorite picture of her dad, a treasure she could never replace. She didn't have the time nor the energy to think about that. With a deep breath she inhaled the cool air, tried to calm her nerves and walked inside the coffee shop that she loved so much. 

She hadn’t even approached the counter when Antonio waved her wallet in front of her, and a stone as heavy as a ton was lifted from her shoulders. “Toni, you found it !” She breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh my god, you saved me from a long day waiting at the authorities.” She smiled broadly and took the wallet, checking the contents with a quick glance.

“I didn't find it.” The barkeeper mentioned, turning away while he was preparing a sandwich. “It was Salva.”

“Salva?” She asked, confused.

Toni motioned his head to the back of his shop, at the last table. “The man you shared a table with this morning. He found it a few minutes after you left and gave it to me.”

“Ok. I should thank him.” She asked curiously. “Maybe...do you know what he normally orders? I will pay beforehand.”

Antonio started to laugh. “He orders the same thing everyday.”

“Everyday the same?” Now she was even more confused.

“Yes, and he will be here, tomorrow morning at 8 am. Raquel, he's predictable and punctual like clockwork.”

“Oh...ok. Then I will come back tomorrow.” She made a mental note to herself to go shopping afterwards, her mom's favorite wine is available only at the shop around the corner from Hanoi. “Thank you again and have a good evening Toni.”

“Thank you Raquel. See you soon.” Toni waved a last time and busied himself with some sandwiches.

***

Raquel arrived shortly after 8 am at Hanoi, gazing at the back of the cafe when she walked through the door. And exactly like Toni had mentioned, the man with the suit and the thick black beard was seated in the same place as yesterday. From far away he reminded her of someone, but she couldn’t tell whom.

“Good Morning, Toni.” Raquel gave the restaurant owner a grin. “Like you said, he would be here.”

“Good Morning to you too. Yes, maybe I should set the cafe watch after him.” He laughed as he cut a sandwich. “I'm preparing his sandwich.”

“Can I bring it to him?” She looked happily at him, and he looked back at her with an amused gaze.

“You can. But only when you finally drink your Toni special. Yesterday you didn't even touch it.” He winked at her.

“I´m sorry Toni. My mother called me, saying that Paula had the flu and was crying like hell. Today I will drink it. And of course I will pay for his order too, ok.”

“Alright dear, you have to check with Salva regarding the payment.” He handed her the plate with the sandwich. “I will bring the rest in a few minutes.” 

“Thank you.” A small smile left her lips and she walked to the last table. When Raquel came closer, she could see how he was folding a red paper, for the first time she had a closer look at him. He had black wavy hair, a well groomed beard, very uncommon glasses and skillful fingers which flowed over the paper creating difficult folding techniques, he was completely lost in his own world, or so it seemed. After a short stop, she placed the plate in front of him.

“Thank you A…” He looked up and his face gave away a huge expression of confusion. He stopped folding the paper immediately.

“I´m sorry, I´m not the person you expected. Toni told me you found my wallet yesterday and I just wanted to thank you. You really saved me from a whole day of standing in terrible queues at several authorities.” She gave him a bright smile. “Am I allowed to join you for a while?” He still looked confused, all while staring at her face. It was clear to her that he had no idea what to say or how to respond.

He nodded his head abruptly, like he wanted to shake away some thoughts, and gestured to her to have a seat. “Please.” He said, his voice was low and rich. She didn't know why, but she liked the sound of his voice.

“Thank you.” She smiled shyly. “And thank you again for finding my wallet. Your breakfast is on my tab today.”

“What? Oh, please no. I really didn't do that much. Your wallet just fell from where you´re sitting.”

“Still, I would feel better if I could pay for you. Thank you.” She smiled and stuck her hand out to him. “Raquel.” She said simply. She saw how he weighed up his next move when he raised his hand to his glasses and put them back onto his nose, just to reach out afterwards to take her hand in his. 

“Salva.” When his hand touched hers a strange feeling went through her body. She couldn't say exactly what it was but this touch felt familiar to her. When he took his hand back, the feeling faded away and a comfortable silence washed over them.

“Hello Salva.” 

Antonio reached their table to bring the rest of their order. “Toni, can you make me a sandwich too? This one looks very tasty.” Raquel took the mug and sipped on the “Toni special”. When she turned again to the man opposite to her, the foam from her coffee covered her upper lip. “Do you do these often?” She pointed to the red paper figure, which did not appear to be finished.

He touched his own upper lip, to show her she still had foam on her lip. Slightly embarrassed, she removed it with her index finger and licked her finger. “I...Uhm...yes. Nearly every day, when I have to think about something.”

“And what were you thinking about? Am I allowed to ask?” He gulped and reached again for his glasses, which she found kind of cute and annoying at the same time and took the red paper from the table. When he spoke again, he started folding the paper in the most skillful way.

“I was thinking about my cider business. How can I make the best cider in Madrid, who can I ask to fill bottles, who can be my partner, what is necessary to be the best...” When he was finished he put the red paper crane in front of her, which she took in her hands, very carefully she looked at it from every angle like it was made of glass. 

“Oh you're making your own cider?” She asked curiously.

“Yes - well rather, I’m trying.” He laughed shortly. “I’ve been working for a while on the perfect recipe, but finding the perfect apples is quite difficult.”

“I can't imagine how difficult it is. I noticed yesterday that you wrote Valencia into the small book.” She finished her sentence and pointed to the book on the table.

“Ahh, this! I search for cider breweries so I’m able to take some training.”

“This sounds really interesting.” She stopped when Antonio placed the sandwich in front of her, she took one half and bit into it hungryly. As she swallowed, Raquel looked at him again. “Sorry, I´m so hungry. Please, eat yours too, I have already interrupted you too much.”

“It's alright.” Salva said and grabbed his own sandwich. The silence returned and for a moment both concentrated on their breakfast. When she finished her coffee, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and got up.

“Salva, it was a pleasure to meet you, but my daughter is waiting for her tea. Thank you again and who knows, maybe we will see each other again. I'm working around the corner.” She shrugged her shoulders.

He gazed at her. “Oh, maybe we will. Where are you working?”

“At the police station two streets away from here.”

“At the police station?” He sounded surprised, with a hint of happiness. “So you're an officer?”

“No, an inspector.” She smiled cordially at him, took her purse and started to turn to the exit. “Bye.” Was the last she said before leaving the table.

“Goodbye...inspectora.” He said, the word inspectora, was just a whisper which she couldn't hear. Of course he knew where she was working and would do _anything_ to get to know all about her work place, her colleagues and about her...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.  
> Until next week :)
> 
> You can also find me on twitter: linda_mj0310
> 
> See you there (imagine how Itzi said it 🤩)


	4. Inspectora and Professor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio and Raquel bump into each other constantly...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone 🤩
> 
> Thank you all for the lovely comments and the kudos 🥰  
> I´m really totally over then moon and so happy you like the story so far.  
> Sorry, I couldn´t comment on all the comments so far, but I promise, I will do it soon, I swear.  
> I would like to add, I have a lot planned for these two and the heist ;) so be prepared!!
> 
> Due to work, I can´t promise to post every week a new chapter but I will give my best to update as much as I can 😅
> 
> A huge thanks goes to my lovely proofreader ch_rainlily and Meg, I can´t thank you two enough for your efforts, your support, the ideas, the proofreading and the amazing time in between. I´m the happiest human being you´re doing this crazy ride with me. :* I love you girls❤️❤️❤️❤️
> 
> A special thanks goes to my BB, for many many ideas for this story ;) Soon you all will know 🔥
> 
> And now, enjoy the 4th chapter.

Madrid, 12-11 months before the first heist…

Sergio straightened his tie in front of the mirror, which was hanging behind his bedroom door and he already felt a bit nervous. He was not satisfied with the knot and he started to re-do his necktie again. An hour ago he had left his tiny flat to retrieve his favorite tie from the hangar which was lying there neatly folded on the bunk bed. On his walk there he cursed himself that he had two places where he had his clothes. When he arrived back at his flat, he heard a subtle “ping” and walked with long strides to his computer, a new message appeared from Arash. One month ago Sergio had told him to run background checks on Raquel’s colleagues and since then his inbox had been pinging at an annoying rhythm. He couldn't review these files in great detail and was able to only skim through hundreds of pages since he had to frequently check-in with Anibal, who was now on the team too. Sergio was really impressed with this young man and his knowledge about hacking ironclad systems. Anibal had already solved his problem of how he would communicate with the team inside the Royal Mint. In the end, it was all too easy. He had never thought about an ordinary telephone cable, which would be roped through a toilet on the 2nd floor. The only thing they had to do was to drill a hole into an exposed pipe in the hangar and thread the cable through it. This exact pipe appeared as the hole was dug for the escape tunnel. Sergio was more than satisfied with this outcome. Later, Anibal would connect the cable with his computer and redirect the call from the hangar through several servers, Arash on the other side would secure everything with fire walls which would force a game of cat and mouse with the police. They would be untraceable, despite sitting only a few meters away from the place of action. He still laughed at the thought of how easy it would be or at least he hoped it would be.

Through his informant Sergio found another member to join his gang of losers - as he called them - a middle aged ex-military pilot officer, named Marseille. He was included into the gang of misfits, all of whom were living the lowest of existence. They had their share of horrible memories and their own reasons to hate the system. Ágata Jiménz, who could counterfeit banknotes including those printed in the Royal Mint, was a perfect addition and one of the most important members. She would verify that the bank notes would print flawlessly and run the machines with the remaining employees of the Royal Mint. It took him a few days to convince her to join the team but to his surprise she finally accepted. Her decision was motivated by her son, Axel, in the hope to give him a better and brighter future once she got him back from his foster family.

Sergio found himself coming back from his thoughts, shaking his head slightly, only to glance at his watch and realize it was time to leave. He would check the files tomorrow, he promised to himself. Quickly he sent a short message to his friend, thanking him for his efforts. Another “ping” was announced, this time a message on his mobile phone, when he saw the name of the sender light up on the screen he couldn't hide his smile -Raquel, the name made him both nervous and excited at the same time.

In an instant he asked himself why was he feeling that way? Why was he nervous to meet her? In the past one month he had met her a few times every week by accident, without planning anything at all. The more he bumped into her, the more he enjoyed her presence, their teasing banter and her smile.

***

The moment Raquel left Hanoi after retrieving her wallet he had started to plan his next moves to approach her more often, but when he went for breakfast the next day and was planning in great detail what he wanted to do, he saw her at the counter. She was laughing with Antonio and had a coffee to go in her hand. In a swift move she turned her head and let her eyes wander through the room, as her gaze stopped at him. She nodded appreciatively towards him, raised her arm with the coffee and toasted at him. He couldn't do anything more than nod back, a shy smile lingered on his lips.

Sergio didn´t know why but he stopped planning how to approach Raquel. Usually he would never do anything like this, his perfectionist nature and his calculating mind didn’t allow him to be spontaneous. But this time was different. He just had the feeling that this wave of sheer luck wasn't over yet. And it panned out exactly how his gut had told him in the following weeks. 

Unsuspecting, one day Sergio walked into the supermarket in the late afternoon near the police station to buy some water and some microwaveable meals. As he rounded the corner, to his utter surprise - Raquel Murillo and her daughter were standing in the produce section, her hands full with groceries, while the little girl only had a box of ice cream in her hand. He wondered how Raquel was still able to see anything with that pile of stuff in her hands. As she tried to reach for the peaches, the entire bag started to topple. With a quick movement, Sergio was at her side to support her before smashed eggs appeared on her shoes.

“Oh how kind. Thank youuu…” She said surprised, her body now positioned towards him. Sergio could only give her a small smile and offer her his shopping basket. “Thank you Salva. My mother has our basket but I don´t know where she is.” She heaved the amount of stuff into the basket, all while talking and looking at him with an embarrassed expression. The girl slid behind her mother with the ice cream in her hand, to hide herself from him. He assumed she was always like that with strangers.

“I would say that was close.” He said, adjusting his glasses back onto his nose.

“Oh yes, I would have slimy shoes without you.” She blushed which he found kind of endearing. When he heard a giggle coming from behind Raquel, he turned his head to look into the direction of the laugher. The woman with her basket full of groceries turned around too. “You think it's funny when I have slimy shoes?” Raquel asked her daughter.

“Yes.” The little girl with the brown hair encountered sassily, giggled more and held her free hand in front of her mouth to suppress the rising laugher.

“Salva.” Raquel said with a smile on her face. “This is Paula, my daughter.”

“Hello Paula.” Sergio said. 

“Paula, this is Salva who found my wallet while you were sick. Do you remember?” The girl nodded with her head, her giggle subsided, now replaced by a serious expression on her face.

Her voice was small but clear. “Hello.” He gave her a polite smile, while she gazed away shyly.

“Are you feeling well again Paula?” Sergio asked the little girl. He only got a short nod and she hid again behind Raquel. She patted her little girl, turning towards her she asked.

“Since when are you so shy, little monster?” She mustered a giggle from Paula. “Cariño, do you know where grandma is?” Paula pointed behind her at the wine section, where he saw an older woman with short grey hair bending over in front of the red wine shelves.

“It was clear she would be there.” Raquel said amusedly and rolled her eyes.

When Paula raised her free hand and pulled at her mother's arm, she turned towards her. Paula waved at her mother to come down, it seemed like she wanted to whisper something in her ear. Raquel bent her head down so her daughter could reach her ear. A few seconds passed, when the expression on Raquels face changed several times and ended in a hearty laughter. Now he was curious.

Still laughing, she said. “Paula just told me that you look like the professor I had in the police academy last year. He wore the same suits, but looked nearly 30 years older.” 

Sergio gazed down at his clothes, confused and back to the Inspectora. “Is this a good thing or rather bad thing?” He asked and put his glasses nervously back onto the right place.

“It's good, he was a nice professor.” 

“Glad to hear.” Sergio said and looked at his watch, noticed that he had an appointment regarding the fake brewery.“I´m sorry, but I need to go.” She looked back at him, surprised. “Have a good evening, Inspectora.” Sergio emphasized the last word.

“Okay. The same, Professor.” She said, with a smirk. 

From that moment on she called him professor, he liked it, it had a profound difference compared to when others called him by that name.

***

Two days later, as he walked out of Hanoi after his daily breakfast, he saw her driving by, most likely on her way into work. She waved at him and smiled. Sergio waved back, before he could even think about anything else, he continued onwards to the hangar.

After four days of not seeing her at all, he opened the door to the small trattoria near Hanoi around midday, he saw a flash of golden hair walking by. Sergio was so perplexed that he stood still for a few seconds, noticing it was her.

“Salva you can leave the doorway and come in.” Raquel said with a sassy voice. Her words took him out of his stupor, and he approached her.

“Hello Inspectora. No Hanoi, today?”

“I could ask you the same Professor.” She emphasized the last word with a bit more force than usual. He looked into her eyes and noticed a mischievous expression.

“You´re right. I wanted to try the carbonara here, I heard it is the best in town.”

“Really? This one is awful.” Sergio was totally baffled, why did she say it was awful, when she had a huge smile all over her face. Again he cursed himself for not being able to read other people’s expressions more properly. He was sure, his own face seemed entirely confused, so much so that she raised her arm and placed her hand on his arm. He felt a warm tingling sensation on the surface of his skin where she touched him which faded away immediately when she withdrew her hand.

“It was a joke, Professor. The carbonara is the best, only one carbonara is better than this one.” She winked and turned around to tell the guy behind the counter her order.

“And...and which one is better?” He asked after he ordered his own carbonara.

“Mine.” She laughed heartily as she started to pay for her order, leaving him a bit speechless. For the first time in his adult life, he didn't know what to say or how to reply. He just enjoyed this little teasing with her when she was as sassy and witty as on that day.

They engaged in small talk which included her asking more about the cider business and if there would be the possibility to taste it. He made a mental note to search for the equipment as soon as possible to set up a real cider brewery. He already cursed and asked himself why he had decided to be a cider brewer as a cover, instead of someone who just had an ordinary job like a paperboy.

“It is not quite perfected yet, I´m still in the initial stages but when I have something taste worthy, that won’t make me gag, I will give you a sample.” He offered her, soon their lunch orders were ready, so they said their farewells and left in opposite directions.

***

Luck was still on his side, the landlord for his back up place met him a few days after that, and rented him the place and its furniture for a cheaper price than he had expected. A couple days later he secured an entire set of equipment near the hangar. It was old but still intact from a private brewer who was too old for this business. After he had finished setting up his makeshift cider brewery, Sergio walked into a bar to celebrate the new milestone of his plan with a cold beer. His new place would act as a perfect cover site for him, no one would ever suspect him as capable of robbing the Royal Mint but he would do so, in less than one year. In any case he still wished no one would ever find out who he really was. 

It had already started to feel chilly in the evenings in Madrid, yet Sergio continued to sip his cold beer inside a bar, gazing outside, completely lost in his own thoughts. He was enjoying the tranquil autumn atmosphere after a busy day, when a soft tap on his shoulder forced him out of his thoughts, he turned around.

“Professor, alone here?” Raquel asked with a genuine smile on her lips. The more she smiled at him, the more he noticed how endearing he found her smile to be - her two front teeth were cute with their prominence. 

“Inspectora, I’m beginning to have the feeling you´re following me.”

“What did you say? It's so noisy here.” She gestured with her hands that she didn't understand him well and moved her upper body towards him, stopping beside his head signaling he should repeat what he said a few seconds before. For the first time, since they had met, his senses were alive, noticing her fresh and sweet fragrance. He inhaled deeply and noticed how intoxicating her scent was to him, and he felt a strange yet natural form of attraction towards her. He didn't really know this woman well enough at all but he was starting to like her and her aroma was more wonderful than he could have ever imagined.

“I said, Inspectora...” He  _ had _ to repeat this once again, he wanted to tease her a bit more. “I have the feeling you're following me.”

She moved back and gazed back at him with an amused smirk on her lips. “Professor, do you really think I would follow you? I would say it's quite the opposite.” She started to laugh. 

“I think you're very wrong, Inspectora...” He smirked back at her, once again she moved closer to hear his words. “I think you're following me.”

Raquel turned around suddenly, she gestured with one finger to the person in the back of the bar, telling him she needed only one more minute. Sergio saw the plumpish guy with the beard sitting at a small table. From the reports Arash had sent him, he knew it was Ángel Rubio, her partner for 5 years. “Sorry Salva, I have to go. I'm here with a colleague.” She rolled her eyes and he got the feeling she was a bit annoyed. “See you soon?”

“If you wish. Should I follow you again?” 

“Aha! I knew you were following me.” Raquel gave him a radiant smile and turned again to her colleague. “Have fun Professor.”

“Thank you, I wish you the same.” He gave her a last nod before she turned around and walked up to her partner. Sergio saw how she greeted Ángel. She turned one last time to him, and back to her partner. Her gestures became wild when it seemed like Angel asked her about him. He finished his bottle in one big gulp and walked out of the bar, but not before glancing at Raquel for a last time. Their gazes met and he felt a tiny tingle in his stomach region.

The days flew by and they bumped into each other on a daily basis. Three words here, some teasing there and always their specific nicknames for each other. He really enjoyed himself in her company and looked forward to every encounter, just to say his favorite word since he had gotten to know her - Inspectora. One evening after finishing his Salmorejo, he was heading to the restrooms at Hanoi, when he saw out of the corner of his eye Raquel entering the cafe. As Sergio was returning to his seat, he couldn't help but overhear a conversation between her and Antonio.

“Shit, not again! Toni, do you have a charger for the phone?” She raised her hand to show him her phone.

“No, Raquel, I’m sorry, not for this brand.” 

Sergio could hear her mumble something to herself when an idea came up in his mind and he walked to the counter. “But you can use mine if it’s important.” Raquel turned her head to the left, where he was standing, his phone in his hand, holding it out for her to take it.

“Hi Salva. Really, you don't mind? I have to make two or three calls.” She smiled shyly at him.

“If I did mind, I wouldn't offer you my phone, Inspectora.” He pronounced the last word as always with a bit more effort. Her smile grew wider and she took the now unlocked phone from his hand, her ring finger touching his hand and a warm feeling bloomed at the place where she touched him. It was strange, he thought.

“You're my hero of the day! Thank you.” She left with his phone in her hand to walk outside and spoke with whomever for several minutes. He watched her the whole time while he waited at the bar. When she made her second call, her facial expression changed and she looked unbelievably angry, gesturing with one hand in the air while nearly shouting into the phone. During this call she paced nervously from one side to the other, like an anxious lioness in her cage. In anger, she finished the call and combed her fingers through her hair in an effort to calm herself. Only a few seconds later Raquel dialed again but her expression changed back to her normal self. This time he could notice how she pronounced cariño. 

“She has something special.” The shop owner said casually, leaning against the counter, pulling his eyes away from watching her.

“I...uhm...what did you say?” 

“I said, she has something special.” Antonio grinned at him and nodded in her direction, where she was still speaking into his phone. He blushed and nudged his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.

“I don´t understand what you mean, Antonio.” Sometimes he didn´t know what to make of Antonio’s words.

The owner started to laugh. “Alright, one day you will see it. Just open your eyes.” He shook his head, still laughing and walked towards some new guests. What did he mean when he said she has something special? It didn´t make any sense to him, and what should he see? His eyes were open. Just as he lifted and turned his gaze, there she was in front of him, holding his phone in her hand, handing it back.

“Were you able to make all the calls?” He asked with a friendly tone.

“Yes.” She exhaled heavily and continued. “One of them was with my ex. He took our daughter, without my permission and my mother couldn't reach me to tell me before and now I have the mess again.” She said with an apologetic look.

“No, no…” He pushed his glasses back. “I don´t mind. I mean...uhm...we have been running into each other for nearly a month and the only thing I know about you is your name and that you´re an inspector. I would like to know more about the mysterious woman who seems to be constantly following me.” He could see how her mood changed and her eyes were shining again.

“Again, Professor. I´m not following you -  _ you  _ are following me. But let’s end this, I think we should find out more about each other over proper food and some drinks. Tomorrow at 9pm, here?”

Sergio was perplexed, he never thought she would ask him to share a meal with him. “You mean, we will eat dinner and finally discuss who is following whom?”

“Exactly.” She raised her eyebrow, waiting for his answer. “Do you let every woman wait that long for an answer?” She crossed her arms in front of her body.

“Well…” He laughed. “Okay at 9, here. I have a feeling it will be a hard...uhm...negotiation.” That was a bad move he realised as soon as the line slipped out of his mouth, until now she hadn’t shared this information with him.

“What do you mean with negotiation?” She inquired with a suspicious voice.

“I...I…” He quickly had to think of an idea of how he knew this bit of information. “Antonio told me, when I found your wallet and handed it to him.”

“Oh...right.” Her tense posture loosened. “Give me your phone again, if we’re supposed to negotiate, it's better to have my number.” He handed the phone back and she typed her number into his phone. “Just call me or message me, so I have your number. Sorry, Salva. I need to go, my ex is waiting.” Raquel huffed, annoyed. “See you tomorrow.”

***

He entered Hanoi after adjusting his tie one last time, greeted Antonio as always and went to “his” table in the back of the cafe. Sergio had a perfect view of the entrance so he could see her first thing as she entered. 

And as the lights turned on, she appeared in the doorway, her long golden hair radiated as did the smile on her face as she greeted Antonio, which grew even wider when she spotted him. He couldn’t stop the feeling inside his stomach when he saw her, it felt as if a butterfly brushed their wings against his stomach. Nothing more than a tiny streak and still a feeling he had never experienced before and it just felt so good.

At this exact moment, he knew what Antonio had meant by saying she had something special...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.  
> Until next week :)
> 
> You can also find me on twitter: linda_mj0310
> 
> See you there (imagine how Itzi said it 🤩)


	5. Fishing Expedition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio and Raquel have their first date together and reveal surprising information's to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :)
> 
> thank you all sooo much for all the kudos, the comments (here or on twitter) <3<3<3  
> I'm truly flattered and over the moon. Really thank you all!!
> 
> Unfortunately, I can't promise anymore to update every week :(  
> Work is kicking my ass really hard right now and due to this...my mind is very slow but I try my best :)  
> But...the next chapter is half done and it will be a huge one ;) so mabye that's a small compensation when it will be updated a bit later ;)
> 
> For this chapter I need to mention, that Raquel will tell about her marriage with Alberto and we all know it went... :(  
> If you're not comfortable with the topic of violence and abuse, please be careful and skip the third part until the end.
> 
> Again, the biggest hug and thanks to my lovely proofreaders Meg and ch_rainlily <3   
> I can´t say enough how much I love to work with you and share my ideas with the two of you.  
> You're the best<3<3 and I'm the luckiest girl on earth to call you my friends.  
> Again...I love this fandom sooo much...never joined a fandom which is so supportive and lovely!
> 
> Thanks to my BB too :)
> 
> Before I forgot...Meg is the reason why we have the end how it is now ;) so thank her!! And I hope you like it, as much as I liked her idea ;)
> 
> And now enough and just enjoy :)

Madrid, 12-11 months before the first heist…

It was past midnight when Raquel arrived home and slipped in without making any noise with the door. On tiptoes she walked past the living room, and peered into the dimmed room, finding her mother, thank god, fast asleep while the song ‘Emergency Room’ replayed for perhaps the hundredth time. Raquel smiled to herself as she gazed at her mother curled on the couch - peaceful and  _ quiet _ . She knew by morning, the tranquility would be over and she would be confronted by at least one hundred burning questions about her date with Salva. When she thought about the last few times her mother asked about him, it was awkward and embarrassing. The smirk her mother gave her when Salva left the supermarket was a mix of pure curiosity and amusement or the time when she called using his phone because she forgot to charge her phone. Raquel was now sure her mother had saved his number. But for whatever reason, the only thing she could do was shake her head and tiptoe further up the stairs to check on her little angel.

Paula lay fast asleep in her bed, with the blanket kicked to the floor - a habit Raquel had when she was Paula´s age. Gently she placed the blanket back over her little girl, stroking her head in a calm rhythm. Before she left Paula´s room, she gave her a sweet kiss on the side of her head and breathed in her sweet scent. As quietly as she could, she closed the door to Paula´s room and rushed into her own room. She removed one shoe using the strength of one foot and then the other, she allowed the jacket and the rest of her clothes to fall onto the floor. Right now she didn’t care how messy it looked, she was just tired.

Dressed only in her underwear, she let herself fall into her bed, covering her body with the fluffy down comforter, she rolled onto her back. For Raquel, the evening she experienced was really wonderful, she had a lot of fun, shared many laughs with the man whom she called the Professor. But she felt exhausted, it had been a long time since she had a date, there were no words to describe what happened a few hours ago. From the first moment, she felt good and had a sense of security in his presence. The more the evening progressed, Raquel had the feeling, she could talk to Salva about anything and everything. She felt so comfortable that she told him about her most awful time...her failed marriage including the many incidents of spousal abuse. She will never forget his horrified expression - but despite her countless stories, he didn’t pity her, his gaze was one of acceptance and reassurance. Raquel stared at the ceiling for a long time, while she rested both of her hands behind her head. A soft breath left her lips when her mind wandered back to this handsome man with thick black hair, his shy smile and his lack of sarcasm which she found really endearing. One side of her lips curled up into a smile, it had been such a long time since she felt like this - carefree, amused and joyful to the fullest. 

She laughed as she remembered their conversation which lasted until Toni kicked them out, but not before he brought his wife's famous almond tarte. Toni seemed thrilled they were the last customers in his cafe, and from the corner of her eye, she saw him winking at Salva. Whatever that meant...

Raquel turned to her left side, now wide awake, but she closed her eyes to remember the look on his face when she entered Hanoi. 

***

After she greeted Toni behind the counter, she looked at Sergio and his eyes started to sparkle. And for the second time since they had met, she noticed how downright attractive he was - the beard, his eyes, even his strange habit of positioning his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.

As she reached his table, she started to address him in a flirtatious way. “Professor. I see you are not afraid of negotiations.” Taking a seat opposite to him.

She noticed he started to grin, his eyes formed to half-moons behind his glasses, an expression she found kind of charming and made her stomach tingle. “Inspectora, why should I be afraid? I'm quite good at negotiating, you will see how skillful I can be.” Salva smirked and Raquel laughed heartily, the ice was broken that was for sure. Just when he opened his mouth to say something, Toni arrived with menu cards at their table.

“Salva, I think tonight no coffee and juice.” The owner remarked, giving Salva a wink.

“You're right.” He laughed and turned to Raquel. “Ladies first. What do you want?”

“Thank you. I would like the dry Rioja.” She answered and turned to look in his direction. 

“I will take the same, Antonio.” Salva said.

“Alright, two glasses of Rioja. I´ll be back in a minute.” Toni mentioned and walked back to the bar.

“So?” Sergio started.

“So what?”

“Dry Rioja.” He raised an eyebrow.

“What should I say? It's my favorite red wine.” She shrugged her shoulders and absentmindedly played with a strain of her hair, wrapping it around her finger. Once she noticed her flirtatious mode, she shook her head and stopped touching her hair, she placed her elbows on the table and couldn’t help but gaze at him. She had no idea what he was doing to her, just by his presence. She felt like a teenager again, falling slowly for her first crush.

“Mine too. I have tried so many and for me, the best is Finca el Bosque.”

“No way! You´re kidding? Just last week I emptied the last bottle with my mother. You remember when we met at the store a few weeks ago?” She grinned from ear to ear.

“Yes.”

“My mother saved the last bottles for us.”

“I just had to meet an inspectora, to finally encounter a person who likes wine as much as I do” Salva said with astonishment. Toni came back with their drinks and asked if they had already decided on a dish. Both shook their heads no and he left their table, but not before reminding them to signal when they’re ready to order.

“Salud” Raquel said, when they clinked their glasses. “To an evening full of negotiations.” Raquel hid her smile behind the glass of wine she was holding.

“To an evening full of negotiations” Sergio repeated. 

With a slow move, she put her glass back onto the table and turned to her purse, searching for her pencil. As she found it, she twirled it between two fingers.

“You know what this is?” Raquel asked and he shook his head confused. “It’s the negotiation pencil.”

“Ahh…” He started to suppress a chuckle. “...and what does the negotiation pencil do?” Finding his serious expression and tone once more.

“ _ This _ , Professor, is a secret weapon.” She winked at him and pulled her long mane back with skillful hands, securing her hair with the pencil.” As she twisted her hair, she saw his surprised expression. Once she finished her task, she took a sip of her wine and looked back at him.

“So tell me what that does, I´m really curious?” Sergio asked, amused.

“It helps me. It’s a habit established during my negotiation training. I always forgot my hair tie and the only available thing was a pencil. Since that time, I've always pinned my hair back like this, during negotiations or while I’m cooking or helping Paula with her homework. 

“Okay, well this is quite a new version of how to use a pencil. Intriguing.”

“Look, even you... _ Professor _ can learn something new.” She took another sip from the dry wine and took the menu card. “But before I start with the really hard questions, I need some food.”

Salva chuckled, took his own menu card and both fell in comfortable silence while they searched for a dish for dinner.

***

After they finished dinner they found themselves in a brief silence. She thought about the childhood he never had, since he spent most of it at the hospital. How lonely he must have felt during that time, she couldn’t help but think of Paula. Her heart ached for this kind man in front of her who had such a depressing past.

“Why so serious, Inspectora?” He asked as he sipped his wine.

A sad smile formed around her lips. “I was thinking about Paula and how lucky and healthy she is. And you…” She stopped when she felt a knot in her throat. “...you had such a sad childhood. Since I have a daughter, it’s always hard for me to imagine children suffering.”

“My childhood wasn’t that sad, of course I was in bed most of the time and had periods of sickness plus endured a lot of tests, but I got used to it. My dad visited me often, I read many books, learned three languages and I even made a friend who helped me score better meals. He saved my life. Until now, I wouldn’t touch green vegetables.” He laughed a bit but soon turned serious like her. “But yes, you’re right. Children are innocent and don’t understand the cruelties of the world, some have to suffer so much, it's terrible. Let's hope, Paula doesn't ever have to suffer in her life.” 

“I hope she never suffers again. It would break my heart.” She said absentmindedly.

“What did you say?” Salva asked, putting his hand over hers, forcing her back to the here and now. The warmth of his hand traveled throughout her entire body, calming Raquel but her heartbeat increased, mostly due to the fact that she was planning on sharing something deeply personal with him. She didn’t know why but she just had the urge to open herself up to him. And it was as if he read her mind, he gave her an understanding look, gently squeezed her soft hand. His gaze alone and his support, made the wall she had built up around herself in the last year, completely shatter. 

She took a deep breath, knowing that this conversation would lead to the darker side of her life. Better to tell him about her past now rather than later, maybe he would run away, but she hoped he wouldn´t. Raquel took a big gulp of her wine, looked at him, and started.

“Salva.” She said and looked him directly into his eyes. “I mean, Paula already suffered in her life and it nearly broke my heart.” She started and he removed his hand from hers, she already missed the warmth of his hand.

“What does that mean?” He gave her a questioning look.

“I think I should start from the beginning. You will understand everything better.” Again, she took a big sip, to calm her nerves. She didn't like to talk about this phase of her life, but when this man in front of her was as understanding and accepting as he was a few minutes before, she could imagine herself opening up more to him. She did something she normally didn't do, removed the pencil from her hair. Now she was no longer the hard negotiator anymore, like she was used to - she was just Raquel - a formerly battered woman, who now was a lonely divorcee and full of fears. 

A soft and gentle feeling of security and tranquility ran through her veins as she gazed back into his eyes. It was strange but her gut told her he was worth a try.

“As you know, I was married.” He nodded to confirm what she said. “Happily married for several years but not towards the end. The beginning was wonderful, Alberto - that’s his name, did everything for me, he wrapped me around his finger.” She noticed how these words made him uncomfortably shift in his seat, but she didn´t know if it was because of Alberto’s affectionate beginnings towards her or what was to come. “When I discovered I was pregnant with Paula, he started to change. He didn't want to be with friends or attend any parties anymore. I thought he wanted to take care of me and our unborn child. In fact, I was flattered. When she was born, he said I should change my profile picture, replace my photo with a picture of her instead. I found it endearing, he wanted to show off our daughter.” The whole time, while she spoke, she looked down at the table, playing with the pencil in her hands, she was afraid to look up to him, for fear of spotting pity in his eyes. That was the last thing she wanted, so she continued.

“When I wore a skirt for the first time in years, he mocked me and asked if I was trying to attract other men with my outfit. When I told him I was wearing a skirt because of the warm temperatures, he pushed me hard against our wardrobe.” Her mouth was dry and the tight feeling in her throat was unpleasant, she needed more wine, the memories whirled around in her mind and all she could feel again was the pain she felt on her shoulder blades when she had hit the wood. 

“I thought that would be a one time incident, so I pushed it aside. But there was a time, I went to work wearing a tank top, which showed my arms, and as soon as I got home, he hit me for the first time. So hard I got a blue eye.” Raquel’s voice quivered and she stopped to take a deep breath.

“Still, I believed he was a good person plus he was so lovely with Paula, I thought I was the person who did everything wrong and that's why he acted like this. So I tried to change myself more and more. I lost nearly every friend I’ve ever had, the only people I had left were my sister, my mother, Paula and him.” She paused, the next words already on the tip of her tongue. “One time I was just sitting in our plush chair in shorts, reading a book, when he hit me out of nowhere - I still have problems with my neck. And once again, I was sure it was my fault. But one day, Paula didn't want to eat her bread, he freaked out, he screamed and destroyed plates. He threw her plate with so much force at the wall, it broke into thousands of pieces. Paula was so shocked, she started to cry and wanted to run into her room. He forcibly took Paula´s hand, to hold her back, that’s when I finally snapped out of my stupor, ran to her, and pushed him away from her, hiding her behind me. I needed her to be safe. He could do whatever he wanted to me but…”

Raquel stopped talking and looked up for the first time in a while, she saw him gulping hard, mimicking her busy hands, fiddling with his napkin, she lowered her gaze back to the table. “...I could never forgive myself if something had happened to my Paula.” She halted, when she felt his warm hand back on hers, she immediately stopped playing with the pencil and looked back into his eyes.

“Raquel, you don't have to continue.” He said, his voice pressed and trembling.

“No, Salva I need to finish this, please.” For a short time, she was silent, trying to organize her hundreds of thoughts and memories. “I confronted him and asked him why he threw a plate directly at our daughter. He became angrier with that question and gave me a slap across my face, in front of Paula. I couldn't leave the house for two weeks, not even makeup could hide the blue and green bruises on my cheek. Paula was so scared she cried for hours, sometimes she still wakes up with nightmares. After that, I kicked him out and told him to go to hell.” She squared her shoulders a little bit. “And for the first time since we had gotten married, I felt lighter. I didn't know what happened to me and why I changed so much. This man had so much force over me and every time I tried to break free, he used my Achilles heel - Paula.” She sighed heavily. “He stole nearly ten years of my life. Salva, ten years and I was even too stupid to go to the police, because I was too afraid of what our colleagues would think if they saw me that way. So I didn't do anything, and when my bruises healed I no longer had any evidence. But when my sister started to date him, I found the courage to file the charges which will hopefully lead to the restraining order. He didn't have the right to see her until they reviewed our case, but the court date is next week so it’s near.” 

Salva´s hand was placed over hers still, comforting her with a gentle squeeze. “Oh Raquel. I had no idea what happened to you and Paula. I...I uhm...I'm so sorry. You don't deserve all this.”

Raquel finished her wine with a last big gulp and removed her hand from underneath Salva´s. “This is nice of you to say, but I can't change the past, I can only try to give Paula a bright future and I will do anything to get this restraining order. So he will never ever be able to hurt us again.” She felt a huge sigh of relief as she finished recounting some of her darkest moments to him. 

“If...” Salva pushed his glasses back onto his nose and looked back into her eyes. “...if you need help Raquel, whatever it is, please tell me and I’ll be your bodyguard with glasses.”

She started to smile and at that moment she felt even more affectionate for this good looking man, she wanted to stand up and just embrace him. This was the nicest thing anyone had told her in years, it was the perfect amount of reassurance and generosity, it was exactly what she needed. “A bodyguard with glasses would be nice, indeed.” She said, as she looked away from his brown eyes and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She snapped back to reality as Salva broke the silence between them. “So what exactly would this bodyguard job entail?” Salva asked with adorable shyness, which she found delightful. It took Raquel a few seconds to understand his question, she soon started to laugh. An all consuming laugh erupted, she couldn’t remember the last time she had a laughing fit.

She wiped some tears from the corner of her eyes, took the pencil from the table, and pulled her hair up again. “Before we talk about this bodyguard job, we should order more of this wine, don´t you think?” She winked at him and Salva agreed to her suggestion with a nod.

***

Raquel was about to shovel her last bit of almond cake into her mouth, but couldn´t. Salva was telling her about his childhood, the story of how Arash changed the meal plan because his friend couldn't stand to consume broccoli anymore and how he faked a phone call with his dad to cover for his friend. She was thrilled and it was too hilarious how he narrated this story. And when he suddenly stopped, he had a sly grin on his lips as Raquel looked up.

“Why are you smiling?” She asked.

“You just reminded me of a fish.” Salva chuckled.

“A fish?” 

He smirked. “Yes, you open your mouth so often…”

“Hey you two, do you want something else, it's the last round.” Toni reached their table and interrupted Salva. She checked her watch and was slightly surprised it was already past midnight.

“No Toni, thank you. It’s really late, I would like to pay, or do you want something else?” She turned back to Salva.

“No, no...Thank you. Let's pay.” Both paid for their drinks and meals and left the cozy place. Outside, they stood in front of each other and gazed unsure of their positioning. 

Raquel was the first one who found her voice. “Thank you Salva for the evening, it’s been such a long time since I had so much fun.” 

“The honor is all mine.” 

“Have a good night…” She paused for a moment. “Uhm...I would like to repeat this one day.” 

“Oh.” He was truly surprised at her proposition. “Normally the first date is usually the last.” He admitted, embarrassed, as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Really?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“I can imagine why.” Raquel's expression gave no hint of what she would say next, and when she saw his frightened face, she couldn´t resist and grinned slyly. “Salva...a fish?” As she saw him sigh a breath of relief, she poked softly at his arm with her fist. “I will go now.” 

Raquel was about to turn away from him, but she couldn't just leave him like that, how sad and insecure he looked when he told her that his first dates are normally his last. Maybe she could make  _ this _ first date a bit more special - for them both. She took a tiny step towards his direction, stood on her tiptoes, and placed a hand on his broad shoulder. While her other hand found his arm, right away she felt how toned he was under his crisp long sleeved shirt. A tingle jolted through her again right to her stomach. She appreciated a man who didn't appear overly muscular but still was in good shape, and the professor seemed like a perfect specimen. Raquel leaned forward, her lips touched his cheek softly, she smirked as she felt his stubble tickle her a bit. She breathed in his scent, a unique mix of something woody and masculine, if she had to describe his scent -  _ warm  _ would be the right word. An essence of home. It was strange, she didn´t know him very well but she felt really comfortable in his presence, maybe this was the reason why her lips lingered a second longer on his cheek. Slowly she pulled away and looked into his eyes, at that exact moment, Salva opened his eyes again. A shy smile lingered on her lips, Salva mimicked her expression. “Thank you again and good night professor.” She waved goodbye and gazed one last time at the man who was starting to capture her heart.

“There’s nothing for you to thank, Inspectora. Arrive safely at home and sleep well.” He waved at her and turned around to leave in the opposite direction. One last time she turned around and saw him touching his cheek where her lips once grazed the soft hair of his cheek. Absentmindedly she touched her lower lip, imagining how his lips would feel like on hers.

***

Raquel tossed and turned in her bed, returned on her back, and inhaled deeply. Salva’s chocolate brown eyes and his shy smile were in the forefront of her mind, she didn't know what was happening to her, but she started to feel this wonderful tingle of affection in the pit of her stomach when he was near. She started chuckling and shook her head. She closed her eyes and a huge smirk formed around her lips and a never before feeling of lightness filled her chest. “Like a fish…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.  
> Until the next update :)  
> You can also find me on twitter: linda_mj0310  
> See you there (imagine how Itzi said it 🤩)


	6. Telephones and a Watch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio is dealing with new feelings, he never experienced before.  
> His brother Andrés called him to give some advice and Sergio need specific telephones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :)
> 
> I'm finally back with a new chapter ;) sorry it took me longer this time...  
> Please note, this is kind of an in between chapter...it's very neccessary for the storyline but find out yourself :)
> 
> I'm working already on the new chapter which will have some surprises...let's say it like this. ;)
> 
> I really would like to thank everyone, who is ready this story, send kudos and lovely words through twitter or leave a comment here. This means the world to me and encourange me even more to write as fast as I can. THANK YOU <3
> 
> The biggest thanks goes to my two amazing proofreaders Meg and ch_rainlily. I can't say it enough, you help me so much with this story, you calm me down if needed, plus you give me the right amount of critic and honesty. What would I do without you two? Thank you soooooooo much <3 
> 
> And now enough and enjoy ;)

* * *

Madrid, 12-11 months before the first heist…

Sergio walked on clouds away from her, turned one last time around, still touching his cheek where her lips lingered only a few seconds ago. He could still feel the warmth of her lips, his nostrils memorized her fresh flowery scent and the tingle in his stomach grew stronger each time he saw her. As he gazed at her from behind, she pulled the pencil from her hair, her golden brown waves cascaded down as if in slow motion to the middle of her back and the jacket she wore didn't entirely cover her perfect posterior. He had to turn away as fast as he could. What had just happened to him? He felt kind of ridiculous with all these new feelings inside of him, but he couldn't stop the smile forming over his entire face. The whole evening flooded back to every corner of his mind, he had profoundly enjoyed each second with her.

When Raquel stood in the door frame of Hanoi and walked to his table, he was truly in awe. Not only by her appearance but also by her aura. She had something so pure and so natural, for him she was a vision and again he asked himself what was going on with him. It was so easy to talk to her and the topics between them seemed to never end. For Sergio it was amazing how many things they had in common, starting with the wine they both liked so much - up to the teasing and he didn't notice at all how the hours flew by, until Antonio nearly kicked them out. Of course not really, but Sergio could see he wanted to close the shop because they were the last guests.

They stood in front of one another unsure of what to say or do, he was too shy to start the conversation so he was more than relieved and surprised when she not only started but asked about a second date. He didn't have good experiences with women at all, and to top it off, he could count on one hand how many dates he has had in his life. But he needed to admit, for the first time, it did not feel that awkward. What a relief and what a strange warm tingle he felt in his stomach when he thought about her words. Even now he wasn't sure what these symptoms meant, maybe he had too much wine and his heartburn started to flare up, he hoped anti-acid medicine would subside this odd feeling. 

Sergio’s feet led him on autopilot back to his flat while he was deep in thoughts about this successful and wonderful evening. It was always a very short walk from Hanoi to his home, but this evening's stroll felt even shorter and he was astounded that he had already arrived in front of his building. He passed through the door, walked straight to his small bedroom to change into his favorite pajamas. When he was finished with his bedtime routine, he walked to the small eat-in kitchen and searched for his favorite vinyl which included one of his all time favorite songs he played during his pensive moments- _Claire de Lune_. As he put the needle in slow motion onto the spinning vinyl and the soft sound of the clavier filled the room, a calmness ran through his veins which he only experienced when a specific Inspectora talked to him.

While the sound of this lovely melody invaded his senses, Sergio searched in his kitchen drawer for anti-acid medicine to get his stomach back under control. After he downed a huge glass of water with the pill, he took a piece of red paper and placed himself at the kitchen counter. 

Like in trance he skillfully folded the origami his father had taught him when he was younger. His mind started to process the events of the evening and his brain directed him back to the conversation she shared about her _terrible_ ex-husband and their tumultuous marriage. He still couldn't believe what Raquel told him a few hours ago, it was so absurd, that a strong woman like Raquel was hurt, humiliated and abused. The image of her and her daughter pushed into a corner of the kitchen haunted Sergio. That bastard had irretrievably damaged both their souls, even though Raquel and Paula will heal, a huge scar will stay forever.

Sergio clenched his fists, the nearly finished origami crane crushed in his hand and the anger boiled inside him. Again the battered person in the system became hurt and oppressed, how much he hated this and how much he hated such men like her ex-husband. He did such a disgusting act yet he got away scot-free? What kind of system is this?

“Damn.” He shouted through gritted teeth and slammed one fist against the counter. Sergio promised himself at that moment to start with the detailed reading of the documents about Raquel's ex-husband and colleagues, maybe he would find out some incriminating information on her ex-husband and maybe he would get a hint of who would be one of the inspectors at the time of the heist in less than a year.

In a swift move, Sergio pulled his computer in front of him. In rage he clicked through the folders and searched for the right documents on his computer, starting with him...Alberto Vicuña. While he clicked through several sub-folders, he stopped instantly at Raquel’s - with one last click he opened her folder, and at first glance, he saw several pictures from her ID cards. Sergio stared at a picture and his anger subsided as fast as it had hit him, it was like she could calm him down just by looking at him through a photo. 

He closed the screen of his laptop, sighed loudly, and buried his hands in his hair, all he wanted right now was to dwell a bit more on the events of the evening and linger in Raquel’s brown eyes. Sergio’s mind started to slow down a bit, as the classical music floated through his flat, he noticed that he still had the crumpled origami in his hand, he threw it onto the counter. He was about to stand up and walk to his bedroom when his phone vibrated and a message alert popped up. Sergio grabbed the illuminating phone and his heart skipped a beat, he smiled to himself as he read the message from Raquel:

>>Professor, are you still awake?

I just wanted to thank you for

a nice evening. I haven’t had so 

much fun in months. Good 

night :)<<

>>Yes, Inspectora. I’m still 

awake. Thank you too for 

the wonderful evening. I hope you 

arrived safely?<<

>>Yes, I arrived safe and sound.<<

>>Very good.

And what does :) mean?<<

>>Hahaha. You´re not asking 

this? :P<<

>>As you can tell, yes, I am. So? What

does it mean?<<

>>Turn your phone, maybe 

You will _see_ it then.<<

>>Oh...how embarrassing 

but I got it. :)<<

>>You´re a fast learner. I 

like that ;) And now sleep

well. N8 :P<<

>>Something for you to 

think about…<<

>>Oh...ok. Let's see, 

if I can decode your 

message...You sleep 

well too Inspectora.<<

When he walked to his bedroom he re-read their short conversation again and again, he was very impressed by Raquel and her playfulness despite her terrible past, her positive attitude and outlook on life and her smile. With this thought, he got under his covers, placed his glasses onto the nightstand and fell fast asleep.

***

The next morning Sergio walked back to his flat, after he asked Antonio for the first time to have a takeaway breakfast. He wanted to thoroughly review the documents and a dine-in breakfast at Hanoi prevented him from this task. Just when he opened his laptop, his phone rang and his brother's name appeared on the screen. He sighed and answered, but not before he closed his laptop again, annoyed that he was disturbed by someone - yet again.

“Hermanito. How are you?” Andrés greeted him, Sergio rolled his eyes at his very cheesy and peppy voice.

“Andrés...” He rubbed the back of his neck, quite surprised by his call. “...what gives me the honor?”

“My sweet baby brother, why so distant? Are you not glad to hear my voice?” His brother replied overly enthusiastically.

“Of course, I´m glad to hear your voice, but there are only two reasons why you´re calling me so early.” Sergio was suspicious and felt a slight sense of dread.

“And which reasons could that be?” Andrés asked with pure curiosity in his voice.

“The plan…or women.” 

“You know me too well, little brother.” Sergio sighed deeply, leaving no doubt he picked the correct topic. “Tatiana…”

“What happened?” Sergio said without any emotion.

“I had a bad week and she couldn't bear to see me like this and left. She just ran away without a word. She did not even take her belongings with her.” Sergio could hear how his brother paced through a room, the heavy steps slightly audible in the background.

“Andrés, I'm so sorry. I mean, we both know how bad this disease is and she imagined a lifetime with you...and what did she get? Hopefully a few months. Maybe you should give her time?”

“But I don’t have time. I want to be with her, love her, cherish her until I can’t anymore. Sergio, she was really _the one_.”

“You’ve said that so often, haven’t you?”

“Maybe, but with Tatiana…” Andrés sighed again deeply. “...it felt _so_ different. Like we were equals, soulmates and partners.“

“You know I’m the worst when it comes to women, I´m beyond hopeless.” Sergio replied and Andrés chuckled on the other end of the phone.

“That is indeed correct. But I’m sure, one day love will finally hit you, totally unforeseen and then you will feel the warm sensations, experience sleepless nights, the overwhelming tension ...and you will make a fool of yourself. If this ever happens, my dear little brother...I can die in peace.”

Sergio gulped hard. He had experienced some of those lovesick symptoms last night, right as they left Hanoi and she placed the sweetest kiss on his cheek. Again, the tingle rushed back into his stomach, like the night before and similar to what his dear brother told him a few seconds before. It was impossible, he can’t fall in love...not yet...not with her...not with the _enemy_ he wants to fight against. No...that was once again one of his brother's cautionary tales. He has never been in love and he will never be in love. Or…?

“I still have hope, hermanito.” Andrés laughed and changed the topic. “Tell me about our project. How is it going?”

“Good, good. We are acting according to Plan Purple.” 

“Sergio, as you know. I don't have the time to remember all the plans and stupid names you created. And to be honest, I don't want to think about what will be going on when we are going to Toledo. So simply tell me, what Plan Purple is.” Sergio could hear how his brother rolled his eyes and started to grin to himself. He knew Andrés didn't want to remember all the minute details he created for the heist, that's why both of them had agreed Sergio would be the mastermind of the plan.

“Andrés no need to get annoyed. Plan Purple says we finished digging the hole in the hangar two weeks ago. I'm relieved, the hangar looks like a hangar again. Unfortunately, they hit a pipe, so we will have water seeping in, which will keep the ground moist. The team connected the power cords and installed them throughout the wall of the tunnel. We have nearly all the members assembled but we still need a miner. Besides that, I rented a warehouse with cider equipment to keep up with my alias.”

“Why didn't you say it like this? It wasn't that difficult, was it?”

“No of course it wasn´t, but you know I have a soft-spot for plans since dad told me his tales. By the way, Plan Magenta starts next.”

“Ok, plan Magenta, got it. And why in the hell did you decide to be a cider brewer?” Andrés asked him with a chuckle in his voice.

“I will tell you later, it's kind of a long story.”

“Oh hermanito.” His brother snickered and continued. “So I assume, everything is working out well?”

“Yes, to be exact - better than expected.”

“What does better than expected mean?” Andrés asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

“I may have met the future leading inspector of the heist.”

“What? How? Did Arash help you with his keyboard skills and obtain the tactics and blueprints of this man?”

“No, it’s all due to fortunate circumstances at a restaurant in Madrid and no, Ash didn't help me at all.” Sergio paused for a second before he carried on. “And the inspector is not a man, Andrés. She's a _woman_.”

“A woman? And you're sure she's not a dream?”

“No, she is real and she even kissed my cheek yesterday.” Sergio hit his forehead with his hand, which produced a rather loud noise heard throughout the living room, he cursed to himself. Why did he leak this detail?

“Where is my shy awkward brother, the one who wasn't even able to talk to Tatiana on our wedding day - what did you do with him? So why did she kiss you on the cheek? I’m dying to know. As you can imagine this is the first time in decades I’m learning that my brother is comfortable with a woman.”

“It's nothing, we had one dinner together and I'm trying to gain her trust, she's a negotiator herself and it seems she could be useful, hopefully she tells me who the other negotiators on her team are so I can prepare myself for the negotiation tactics.”

“Ehem...and _how_ will she open up to you, little brother?” Andrés snickered through the phone.

“ANDRÈS, please. Stop it. It's the truth, I don't have any interest in her or something else. You know how I feel about this topic. No…”

“No relationships. I know, you´re telling me this far too often.” Both said in unison.

“And at times it would suit you very well .” Sergio snickered.

“Hey. I know I made some stupid decisions in the past and had far too many love affairs, but in all honesty, my love for women will never be enough. They are the most wonderful creatures in the world. I’ll not only remember you but all of them. At the moment, all I want is to enjoy my life as long as I can.” Silence lingered on both ends of the phone, when Andrés continued. “Sergio, let me give you one piece of advice, and this time I really mean it. If you ever find someone who cracks your thick walls around your heart, be open and honest. Don´t lie, as I so often did. Don't hold back with your feelings, as I did. Just admit them. I know I wasn't the best big brother in the world and left you alone for a long time, but at least I can give you the most important tip for a wonderful future. Please don't make the same mistakes hermanito and start to live, enjoy and love. You’ve been alone for too long and I would feel miserable, with the knowledge you´re still without someone.”

Sergio didn´t know what to say, he never had his brother talk to him like this, in such a serious tone and it scared him to his bones. This only can mean one thing. “How bad is it really, Andrés?”

“You're incredible Sergio. I´m telling you to open up to life’s possibilities and you ask me how bad it is.” Andrés tsked through the phone, inhaled deeply and continued. “The last three days were horrible. I had to take a double dose, plus had to deal with Tatiana’s departure. So I'm far from feeling good.”

“Andrés…” Sergio whispered sadly. “...do you want me to come over?”

“Hell no. I will be fine, I just need to get used to the new situation. Besides that in three weeks we will see each other.”

“But I can come earlier, I can change the tickets or take…”

“Sergio, no. Three weeks isn’t that long anymore and I would feel much better if this Inspectora gave you another kiss on the cheek, rather than you, being here with me.” 

Sergio was always impressed by the quick mood swings of his brother and by all his “tiny problems” as he called them. He needed to admit, this was one of the best qualities of his brother, knowing exactly when the atmosphere was thick as molasses, he was able to shift to much lighter topics. For Sergio it wasn't easy to admit that one day he would have no one in his life, once his brother left this world due to his rare nerve disorder - he would be alone.

“Stop that. As I told you, it's nothing.”

“Sergio, please. If a woman kissed your cheek _voluntarily,_ you did something right for a change, or did you tell her about the reproduction of the grasshopper and kissing you, was her only escape to keep you quiet?” Andrés laughed loudly at his own joke.

“Really? No, it was just talking and it was really nice. She is amazing, smart and very pretty. Of course, I didn't start that type of conversation but … it is scientifically proven that they hatch 20 to 25 days after…”

“Nooo. Please spare me with this information.” Sergio got interrupted by a grumbling Andrés as he was about to share all his knowledge with him. “I get it, it's nothing. So, just tell me we will see each other in three weeks and you will stay until the 27th.”

“Yes, as agreed.”

“Oh and before I forget Marseille told me about the miner you asked for. His prison stay will end in 3 months, I will give you the full details on Christmas Eve - you can call it my gift to you.”

“You´re far too nice, Andrés.”

“My second first name, hermanito. And now, go to this Inspectora and enchant her.”

“Again, there is nothing going on between us!” Sergio started to get annoyed by his brother's behavior.

“Ok, ok...if you say so. I should remind you to buy the old phones, as you agreed to with the young guy.”

“Yes, you´re right, I will go now and do what I wanted to do later.”

“Goodbye, hermanito. See you soon.”

“Bye, Andrés.” 

The line went dead and Sergio could only shake his head. Once again, the marriage of his brother failed, he couldn't imagine what was going on with Andrés to lose someone he loved again. Plus he hated himself that he told him about Raquel, what was he thinking? Why did he tell him? A tiny idea entered his mind, maybe he told him because he liked what happened between them, that he enjoyed the time with her and even more her lips. His thoughts brought him back to the evening and right now he wished they had stayed a few moments longer. “Argh...what am I thinking?” He cursed to himself, walked to the kitchen counter to retrieve his wallet and keys and walked out the door. He needed a distraction, he decided to check on the phone situation, that was the best he could do.

***

Sergio left the third secondhand shop and couldn't believe that no one had an old fashioned phone without a digital display or with a cord, that was exactly what Anibal asked for, one without tracking capabilities - the police won’t be able to trace the phone. He wanted to lead them by the nose, play with them, confuse them and he wanted to show the police how helpless they were without their super fancy state of the art equipment. 

What he found in the last shops, were heaps of mobile phones in all colors and brands, cordless phones and even a kind of communication device from World War II. But nothing came near what he really needed, he wouldn't give up, or better yet he couldn't give up if he wanted a completely successful heist.

Of course, an internet search would be easier but for Sergio it was always a nice experience to find it, touch it and learn the story behind it. Maybe he would find something else by happenstance or something he may still need. He used the same approach when he found and bought his record player for his vinyls, an old device from the late 70s, with retro colors - it had some dents but nonetheless, he liked it. 

He walked to the last shop as the sun started to set in the cloudy sky on this late November day. It was near the hangar and when he entered the fourth store, he was greeted by complete emptiness, which felt a bit strange, to be completely alone. From the back of the store he heard a female voice shouting.

“Two minutes and I'm yours.” 

What an unconventional way to express help would arrive soon, he thought. Sergio walked slowly from the entrance to the middle of the store, where he found a chaotic mess of items: teddybears, roller skates, watches, framed pictures and stuff he didn't even know what it was. The shop was a mess without a doubt, yet it felt quite familiar and oddly cozy. Sergio walked further to the back, where he found a showcase of old watches. 

Ever since he had received his father’s old watch, he was interested and fascinated by watchmaking. How the tiniest of pieces were able to create an engineering miracle, was beyond his comprehension. He gazed through the shelves and one watch caught his interest immediately. A wristwatch, with an ivory clock face, a worn brown watch strap and a silver circular frame. For him, it was the epitome of a well-preserved watch with an old classic design. 

Sergio was about to take it when he was interrupted by a young woman with long wavy black hair and a light brown complexion with Indian features who stood beside him.

“That´s a nice one, right?” She asked and eyed him with curiosity.

He took a step back, surprised by her sudden appearance. “I...yes. That's really a very wonderful watch.” 

“Please, have a look.” She said and turned away from him as the telephone on the counter started to ring. “Excuse me, I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Oh...ok.” Sergio gave her a small smile and reached for the watch. As he held it in his hand, he felt with his index finger a fine line on the back, so he turned the watch over and read the engraving. He didn´t know what it meant but in an ornate font two words were written: 

**_Ilargi Ausarta_ **

He checked the engraving more closely, he could decipher and noticed that it was probably Basque. A smile formed over his lips as he remembered it was the language his father used to speak. Sergio grew up in the Basque Country but never learned the language due to his illness and the early death of his mother, so his father wasn’t able to teach him. He turned his wrist towards him and glanced at his watch for a few seconds. The memory of his personal hero was still wonderful and painful at the same time.

Sergio placed the watch carefully back in the showcase, he hoped someone special would receive this watch one day. Still, he was curious why someone would sell it? And as if the woman heard his thoughts. “It's a shame, such a lovely piece, I had the feeling the man wanted to get rid of it when he sold it to me last week.” She said and gazed at Sergio. “Are you interested? I'm sure I can make a special price for you, if you like it.”

“No, no,no...I...I don´t need a watch. I have one, thank you. I´m just always fascinated by them.” He nudged his black frames back onto his nose. “What I'm really searching for is a telephone with a cord and without a digital display. Uhm...my...my mother has a problem with her eyes and the new devices are too tiny for her.” A small white lie wouldn’t hurt, he thought to himself.

“You mean a cable phone from the 90s?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“You are a lucky guy mister.” She said with a huge smile. “A few days ago a younger man gifted me a huge box of stuff he didn't need anymore, among other things there were two cable phones inside.” She started to walk to the counter and gestured to Sergio to follow her. “Do you want to see it?”

“Yes, please.” Sergio’s heart beat faster and hoped it was what he was searching for. The young woman went behind a curtain and two seconds later appeared with two red phones in her hands, she placed them onto the counter. When he saw them he couldn't believe his luck.

“Oh, they are perfect.” He touched one of them, let his fingers glide over the deep red receiver and imagined himself in the hangar, how he would lift the handset, to start negotiating with the police. A simple smile spread over his lips when he thought about that exact moment and the anticipation hit him. Sergio needed to admit, he was very pleased that he had finally found them.

“Are they good enough for your mother?” She brought him back to the present.

“Yes, yes...she will love them. I will take both - to have one as a spare phone.” 

“Alright. 20€ for both and do you need a bag?”

“That would be great.” Sergio took his wallet from the inside of his jacket and placed a 20€ bill onto the counter. “Thank you, miss.”

“Día.” She said shortly. “Miss sounds too old and I’m still young.” She winked at him, while taking the money from the counter. “Thank you and I hope your mother can use them. Best wishes to her.”

“Thank you too, Día. Have a nice day.” He smirked at her and walked out of the shop.

He walked with a pep in his step and a very good mood, back to his apartment, when his phone started to ring. Without looking at the screen he answered the call.

“Yes?”

“Salva?” He recognized Raquel’s voice immediately, but she didn't sound happy like the night before. No, she sounded sad, angry and in tears.

“What happened Raquel?” He asked her, now more serious.

“I...can we meet again? I...I need someone to talk to, besides my mother.” Her voice trembled.

“Raquel, what is going on? Are you hurt or…?”

“Salva not over the phone. Do you think we can meet at Hanoi in 45 minutes?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you, Salva. See you there.” 

Before she could end the call, he said quietly. “Drive carefully.” He heard her slight chuckle and then the line went dead. 

With quick steps, he walked to his flat to quickly drop off the phones. Now he was curious and kind of nervous what Raquel had to talk about. He hoped it wasn't something bad, or painful, or even worse she got a hint that he was lying to her. He fervently hoped that the latter wasn't the case...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.
> 
> Until the next update :)
> 
> You can also find me on twitter: linda_mj0310  
> See you there (imagine how Itzi said it 🤩)


	7. Upside Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day as turbulent as the life itself has some surprised for Raquel and for Sergio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :)
> 
> The next chapter is here and it will have a some tiny surprises. Oh and please don´t be mad at me... :) 
> 
> I want to thank everyone who left a comment, a kudo or just read this story.  
> You have no idea what this means to me.  
> Thank you so so much.
> 
> The next chapter is nearly finished, but life is not always easy and I think in two weeks there will be the next one...cross your fingers maybe earlier ;)
> 
> I also want to thank my lovely proofreaders Meg and ch_rainlily for their efforts.  
> I love you girls <3
> 
> And now just enjoy :)

Madrid, 12-11 months before the first heist…

* * *

“Thank you, Salva. See you there.” Raquel said, ending the call with him. She couldn't believe how her whole world had crumbled within a single day. From feeling on top of the world to this…

Enraged, she crumpled the letter of the lawyer in her hands, angry tears fell down her cheeks when she thought about what this court order meant for her - for Paula and for  _ their  _ future. How could she survive this, without going completely insane? She rose from her bed, where she had been sitting for nearly an hour after opening the letter, re-reading it several times, feeling the fear and confusion grow.

Alberto received the judge’s approval to visit Paula two days a week, the restraining order was rejected due to lack of evidence. How was it possible that photos taken on her personal mobile phone were not enough? How was it possible that her word in a court of law didn't count? Again she asked herself what was going on in her life and why everything seemed like it was a never ending torture.

Slowly she walked to the bathroom, throwing the letter onto her bed, she stood in front of the sink, gazing in the mirror. The reflection she saw was just a shadow of herself and so much different from the reflection from this morning when she woke up. She looked tired, red swollen eyes gazed back at her, they once glistened but were now distant and forlorn. She laughed as she thought how one piece of bad news can ruin an almost perfect day. 

***

When Raquel woke up in the morning after their date, she felt fully energized and a huge smile was spread over her lips. No wonder after the dream she had! With heavy breaths, she had woken up in the middle of the night, after experiencing the most powerful orgasm in months. A stranger with broad shoulders, warm brown eyes and strange glasses invaded her dream in the most sensual way.

Her mood was so good that even the embarrassing questions of her mother about her date didn’t feel so bad and she nearly enjoyed them. Raquel answered them truthfully but without giving her too much information, and certainly not that she felt comfortable and safe in his presence. Not to mention she already dreamed about him. She whistled the whole ride to work, to the Van Morrison playlist and her good mood did not subside even when she saw the number of papers on her desk. With a smile and the continued image of Salva smiling in front of her inner eyes, she went through all the documents at an enormous speed. Raquel hummed happily while finishing her last reports when Ángel approached her desk.

“You´re in a good mood today.” He mentioned. Without raising her head, writing the last line in the report in front of her, she hummed in confirmation. “What happened?”

“Am I not allowed to have a good mood?” Raquel asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice, looked up, and laid her pencil slowly to the side.

“Of course. I was just curious.” Ángel gave her a small smile while fumbling on a button of his shirt.

Raquel took a breath, considering how much she would tell him, but then seeing him like that, she decided to tell the truth. “I had a date with a man I was bumping in on a daily basis.” With every word she said, his facial expression changed to incredulous, he even gazed at her coldly. “We had a lot of fun and forgot the time until Toni kicked us out of Hanoi.” She smiled widely at the memory.

“You mean the man with the beard and those strange glasses?”

“Yes, exactly  _ that _ man. But why does it seem you´re not liking this at all?” Raising a brow and playing with her pencil.

“No, no...I'm happy you had a good date. I...I...“ Ángel stammered which started to annoy Raquel, if he had a point he should spill it.

“But?” For a short moment, it was quiet in the office, before he finally spoke again.

“Raquel I still can't get you out of my head. That one night with you was the best in my life. I...this is the reason why it doesn’t work well with Mari Carmen and...and when I think about seeing you with someone else…” Ángel looked down onto her desk, he seemed a bit ashamed of his confession and avoided looking at her. But now Raquel knew what was going on with him. 

She took a very deep breath and glanced at her partner. “Ángel, you know it was a slip up and it will never happen again. You’re a very good friend. In fact you’re my only friend right now and I don’t want to lose you because you can’t control your libido.” She smiled weakly at him and he got the joke...fortunately. “Ángel, please stop thinking about that night or about me. Concentrate on Mari Carmen, try to solve your differences and maybe it will be like before again.” Now Ángel focused on her, as she continued, “Don´t you think, we already messed up with our friendship?” He shook his head.” And to be honest, I couldn’t bear any further damage between us. Please understand, I see you as my friend, but nothing more. And you’re very important to me...as a friend.” Raquel observed his face the whole time, trying to catch an emotion but the more she said, the more he sank into his chair. After what seemed like hours he finally spoke...

“So we will continue to talk normally with each other?” He asked hopefully.

“Sure” Raquel responded shortly.

“And we will have lunch together again?”

“Yes.” She saw how his face slightly lit up.

“And you’re not going to be mad with me again ?”

“As long as you avoid this topic. Yes.” 

“As hard as it is for me, I will try. I missed you, Raquel.” He looked shyly into her eyes and she could only do one thing. She raised from her chair and walked around the desk.

“Come here.” She said and opened her arms for a hug, still smiling at him. Ángel accepted without a word and they hugged for a while. They stopped and Raquel went back behind her desk.

A comfortable silence was hanging between them when Ángel started again. “Uhm...so because we are friends again and the topic is off the table.” Raquel raised her left brow and was more than curious to know what would he would ask next. “I...uhm...would you sleep with him?” 

She laughed loudly and raised her arm to point at the door. “Out of my office.” She winked at him and continued shaking her head, a slight chuckle escaped his throat and he left her office. She was relieved they finally cleared the elephant in the room. She admitted that she missed him too and their conversations. In the last few months, there was too much tension between them and she didn't know exactly how to approach him without hurting his feelings. So to talk at work, was maybe not the best place for such a topic but it caused less furor. Raquel started to hum several of her favorite songs again until her work was done, she left the office not tired or annoyed after a very long time. 

She drove to Paula´s school to pick her up, even earlier than she had anticipated and had time to go with her little girl to the playground, before they walked back home licking ice creams. Raquel truly had the best day in months and everything that had bothered her for a while seemed to vanish into thin air. After she helped Paula with her homework and had a coffee with her mom, she prepared dinner. While cutting some bell peppers, she thought about what had changed and the only change was - Salva. 

The words of her mother rang in her ear, when she had said that one day someone will come and will change her life upside down. Just for a millisecond, Raquel let this thought spread through her veins, let the feeling consume her whole body until it vanished and the worry came back. The fear of getting hurt again, while letting someone into her life. She hoped he was the one for her, but it was far too soon to make a point.

When everything was prepared for dinner and the minced meat was rumbling in the pan, she checked the day’s mail which was laying on the kitchen counter. Raquel shifted through several letters, starting with the annoying promotion her mother had once accepted for a healthy intestinal flora, to the monthly invoices for insurance and Paula's school, when one thicker letter caught her attention.

Turning the letter around, she read the name of her lawyer and her heart started to race, this could only mean one thing - the restriction order against her ex. Hastily she ripped the envelope open and read the first lines. The hope she had a second before, evaporated and the empty feeling to lose again hit her like a hammer. The restriction order was denied due to lack of evidence.

This can’t be, Alberto can’t be allowed to take Paula whenever he wanted or came to her house...she read the letter again in the hope she had misunderstood the bureaucratic terms, but it said the same. Like in a trance she went up to her room, the meat on the stove completely forgotten. In rapid steps, she reached her bed, took the pillow in front of her mouth to mute the earth shattering scream which left her lips. 

She couldn't control her shaking hands nor her sobs, while she desperately tried to understand what happened. She had lost again, her ex beat her one more time and it felt like he hit her directly into her stomach. Once again, she was not worthy of a judgment in her favour and she would lose Paula to Alberto. She couldn’t bear the thought of seeing her little girl with him, that monster. 

She didn’t notice when her mother opened the door to her room only to find her sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed crying into her pillow while holding the terrible letter in her hand. 

“Raquel? You forgot the meat...” Her mother said and stepped closer to her when she saw how devastated she looked. “Cariño?”

Without looking up, Raquel raised her arm and gave her mother the letter, which she took promptly. An uncomfortable silence lay over them, while her mother read the letter. The longer she read, the more she cursed to no one specific. “Raquel, this must be a mistake. They can’t grant him access to Paula whenever he wants, after everything he did to the two of you.” She whispered in total disbelief. 

“As you can see, the state is always right.” Raquel mentioned with a tone cold as ice.

“But you need to ask for objections. This isn’t correct, this can’t be correct.” Her mother said, more and more worried.

“What do you think will happen, when I ask for an objection?” Raquel gazed with red swollen eyes at her mother, who shrugged her shoulders. “Correct, nothing. They will prove the case again, and again they will grant it to him because he’s the best buddy of the judge who signed the papers. I hate this shit so much and I don’t want to be rude but please leave me alone. I...I need to think.” Raquel blurted out and felt instantly terrible for talking to her mother like that. But she couldn’t talk to her right now, she just wanted to be alone and hide under her blanket.

Without a word, her mother turned away from her, lay the letter onto her bed, and left her room. Raquel could hear her through the door saying calming words to Paula and offering her little girl to have pancakes for dinner. She would thank her later for the gesture. As her mind was racing, from bribing the judge, up to killing her ex which would look like an accident, the conversation between Salva and her slipped into her mind, when he had offered her to be the bodyguard with glasses she needed so much. Maybe he couldn’t help her but he would hear what she had to say and might have the right words to calm her down like the day before.

***

Raquel gazed back at her reflection and washed her angry tears away. When she looked like a human being once again, she left her house and told her mother she would be back in a while, she agreed without a word. Raquel drove like on autopilot through the dark streets of Madrid, and noticed just in time that she stopped in front of Hanoi. When she left her car, she gazed through the big windows of her favorite cafe and couldn't see Salva yet. She paced back and forth in front of Hanoi until she heard him say her name with the utmost care.

“Raquel.” Her name left his lips and she directly turned around. At that moment, when she saw him she couldn't say what happened inside of her, the urge to get embraced by his strong arms was so all consuming and she just knew she had to give in. She took two fast steps into his direction and threw herself into his arms. She held herself against his chest, as if her life depended on this one hug. At first, she feared he wouldn´t do anything and was about to take a step back to dig herself a grave to hide forever. Just a millisecond later, she felt how he finally moved his arms softly around her back and held her tight against his chest.

His beating heart and his fresh woody scent were not unnoticed by Raquel. On one side it was calming and felt strangely familiar; on the other side, it let her own heart skip a beat, to be in his embrace. The memory of her dream from last night came back to her and a thought crossed her mind. What if she was falling hard for this man with the thick wavy black hair? What if she wanted more than a friendship? And what if he didn’t feel the same? With that last thought, she slowly pulled away from him, gulped hard, and gazed into his surprised face.

“Salva, I’m sorry. I...I wasn’t supposed to do that.” She whispered embarrassed and took one step away from him.

“Raquel, it’s ok. But what happened? You sounded terrible through the phone.” He worriedly said to her, nudging his glasses back onto his nose. 

Raquel gazed between him and Hanoi, not able to answer his question yet, the urge to run away was now stronger than before and she wasn't sure anymore why she had called him. Raquel only knew, she just didn't want to leave his side. “Salva, can we just go somewhere? Maybe have a walk? I’m not really hungry at the moment and the fresh air feels good right now. I...maybe we will find a bench…”

“Let’s have a walk.” He offered without letting her finish her sentence. Both walked slowly side by side away from Hanoi, strolling through the streets of Madrid. Minutes went by and Raquel was grateful he didn’t ask further, he just accepted her request. Deep in her thoughts, she grazed his hand with her own, only snapping back when her nerves reconnected with her brain again. A stronger tingle as ever before fluttered through her stomach and Raquel felt how another layer of her well built guard came down for this man beside her. That's when Raquel stopped in her tracks in the middle of their walk and started to talk.

“The judge didn’t accept the restraining order I wanted against my ex-husband, due to allegedly uncorroborated evidence. I mean there are photos from my mobile phone and they didn't accept those. How could this happen?” Salva stopped too, while Raquel was silent for a second, to organize her thoughts when she continued. This time, her voice was nothing more than a whisper, avoiding his eyes. “Salva, I’m scared. I´m scared to my bones. What if he gets complete custody of Paula? What if he takes her from me? What if I have to see him all the time again because he can pick her up whenever he wants? I...I…” The questions in her mind were running fast, the idea of losing Paula made her lips quiver and the tears flooded back into her eyes. She whipped them away hastily only to continue with a broken voice. “...what if he hurts us again? I wouldn’t be able to bear that anymore.” 

From her blurred view, she saw how he stepped closer to her, laying his hands on her shoulder. “Raquel, that will never happen again.” He made featherlight strokes with his hands over her shoulders and looked intensely into her eyes. “I can’t guarantee anything, but I will try to do everything to make sure he will not come near you or your daughter.”

A spark of hope kindled inside of her and for the first time, since she had opened the letter today she felt better, lighter, and for the first time in months, she didn`t feel like she was all alone. She had her mother and Paula of course, but to have a friend like Salva was another league at that moment. “You really mean that?” She whispered through soft sobs, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

“Yes.”

“How can you be sure?” Now she was curious.

He rubbed the back of his neck and added simply. “I’m a lucky man and a bodyguard with glasses, remember?” 

She started to laugh heartily while he stood in front of her, unsure and looking at her nervously, Raquel believed him with every fiber of her being. The endorphins ran back into her veins and a small smile spread over lips. “Yes, I remember.” Her head screamed she should stop acting like this and she should come back to her senses, think rationally but her guts told her the opposite. And it felt just right to trust her gut feeling.

Raquel saw how he scanned his surroundings, rubbing his neck. “Raquel, do you trust me?” Salva asked her and she just nodded, giving in to her feelings. “Follow me, I want to show you something.” They walked down the street, past some restaurants and shops when he walked through a gate into a dark backyard. The street light illuminated the yard a little bit and she followed him through another gate and was astounded to find a small garden with many trees, a fountain, several benches where people were sitting, enjoying the silence away from the chaos of daily life. 

“I found this little park a few weeks ago, while walking through the streets and heard some guitar music playing, followed the melody until I stood directly here. Can you go over there to the bench?” He showed her the empty colorful bench beside a pond. “I'll be back in two minutes.” Salva mentioned while walking away from her towards the direction they came from. Raquel walked slowly through the little park and couldn't believe she didn't know about this place. It wasn´t even 10 minutes from her workplace and sometimes she would give anything to relax a little bit in nature. She made herself comfortable on the bench, which was surrounded by small lanterns and a tiny waterfall. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, the smell of the autumnal and cool November air invaded her senses, and a cozy feeling tingled in her stomach. Raquel didn't notice when Salva placed himself beside her.

“Here.” He said softly, when she opened her eyes while he was holding a to-go cup in front of her eyes. “I thought hot chocolate would be the perfect beverage for an occasion like this.” She took the cup and glanced into his handsome face, while he nudged his glasses back onto his nose. Raquel was slowly starting to like this habit of his, too much.

“Thank you. I haven't had a hot chocolate in years.” She smiled at him and went suddenly silent, gazing just a second up to him and back to the pond. “The last time I had a hot chocolate was when my dad died.”

“Oh, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable.”

Raquel opened the lid and blew into the cup. The smell of rich chocolate mixed with the cooler air gave her senses some calmness. “No, you didn´t.” She said and smiled shyly at him. “I like it you bought one.”

“Perfect.” Salva took a deep breath, still holding his own cup in his hands. “What will you do with the restriction order?” He asked with a quiet voice.

“Salva, to be honest. I have no idea. I think I have to file a revocation and request that they allow the evidence I have. But that takes months and I can’t bear to see him soon nor ever again in my private life. It’s already enough that I have to cross paths with him at work. So I hope there will be an acceleration of this procedure, or I have to travel to another country or…” Raquel stopped talking and bumped carefully with her right body side against his left arm. “...I have a lucky guy on my side.” She winked at him, with the last line and she could see how his cheeks blushed slightly.

“I hope it will help.” He chuckled and took a sip of his own chocolate.

“Yes, I pray for that. This man not only ruined my life with his behavior,  _ no _ , for revenge he took the only souvenir my father gave to me before he died.” Raquel’s eyes filled with tears at the memory and she fidgeted with the paper cup in her hand.

“Oh Raquel. Why is he so cruel and did something like that, just for revenge?” Salva shook his head in disbelief.

“Because I’m the bad one here. I ended this marriage and he was not allowed to see Paula whenever he wanted. He accused that I destroyed his life.” She snorted at the stupidity of her ex-husband’s thought process. “He doesn't have the slightest idea what he did to us, especially to me.”

“I’m so sorry Raquel.” Slowly she noticed how he raised his hand and laid it on her wrist, brushing lightly over her arms. “Am...am I allowed to ask what it was?”

She wiped the corner of her eye with her other hand, while she still could feel his warm hand through her jacket. “It was a wrist watch. He bought it when I was born. He had a special nickname for me and always called me “Ilargi Ausarta.” A short laugh escaped her lips thinking about her hero. “It means “brave moon” in the Basque language. My dad grew up in Bilbao and learned Basque since he was a child, that´s why I can still speak a few phrases in that language. The watch was everything for me, I always loved the brown watch strap, it reminded me about the wooden treehouse he built for me and my sister.” Her view went far away and she wallowed in her memories about her father. “The silver material around the ivory clock face shimmered in the sun and I was invariably fascinated when I was younger. One day, when he came back from work he showed me the backside of the watch in the treehouse. He had engraved in italic letters my basque nickname.” Raquel turned her head towards him when he started to cough.

“I´m sorry, I swallowed on my chocolate.” Salva coughed more and Raquel patted him on his back, when he calmed down she continued. 

“I was so unbelievably happy on this day, and you have no idea how sad I am that I don't have it anymore. If I could, I would plug Alberto to a polygraph to tell me where the hell he hid the watch.” Raquel sighed deeply. “But what is done is done. The only thing he can´t take from me is my memory.” She tapped her finger against her temple, winking at him.

“Raquel you´re amazing. You experienced so many awful things in your life and still you never forgot how to laugh.” His lips curled into a shy smile at his declaration.

“Thank you Salva, that is sweet for you to say. But what about your father? You told me he died too.”

“Yes, he did. My father died when I was 13.”

She sipped on the steaming beverage and let the warm liquid flow down her throat. “How...how did your father die?” She asked him curiously and took another sip. She noticed how he hesitated for a few seconds, as if he was weighing up what to tell her.

Finally he spoke. “He died because the police shot him.”

“They shot him? Why?” It was instantly silent, only the ripple of the waterfall was audible and a cold wind blew around them, which made Raquel shiver a bit. She saw how he had difficulty speaking, so she encouragedly placed a hand on his and squeezed it lightly.

“Raquel...I…before I tell you what happened to my father. There is something I need to tell you first. You need to know the truth.”

“Salva, what is it? You're scaring me.”

Raquel gazed intensely into his eyes, while he breathed in deeply, gazing back with the same intensity, like he wanted to tell her… whatever may come next, please don’t run away. He moved a bit closer to her, his knee touched hers and he took her free hand.

“Raquel, my real name is Sergio Marquina…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please bear with me ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.
> 
> Until the next update :)
> 
> You can also find me on twitter: linda_mj0310  
> See you there (imagine how Itzi said it 🤩)


	8. I could arrest you!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio told Raquel his real name. But why?  
> And will she arrest Sergio?  
> And what did Arash and Sergio find in the documents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone,
> 
> I'm finally back with the next chapter :)
> 
> Thank's to everyone who commented, leave kudos or read. You're all so amazing!!
> 
> Unfortunately, my work is very crazy right now and I don't have the time to write.  
> When I find a gap, I will try to finish the next chapter because we move finally forward with these two ;)
> 
> A special and huge thanks goes to the amazing thegirloverseas, who proofread the new chapter. I can't be more grateful for her help and advise. You're the best <3<3<3 Thank you so much.
> 
> A special thanks goes to my BB. You're always the best inspiration ;)
> 
> And now, enjoy and tell me what you think :)

“Raquel, my real name is Sergio Marquina.”

Sergio felt his heart beating in his throat; it was the first time he had told someone his real name. He needed to tell her the truth about him. Ok, not every single detail yet, but he couldn't forget his brother's words and she was worth it, he was sure of this. When she had started to tell him about her father, she had looked so small, so vulnerable and in so much pain. It was the least he could do, to stop lying to her. 

What had surprised him the most was that when she had told him about her father’s wristwatch, the more she had described the item, the more he had become convinced that he had held it in his hands yesterday. When she had mentioned the engraving on the back, he was one hundred percent sure it was her father's watch.

This information had hit him, and he had almost choked on the hot chocolate he was drinking. How was it possible that an awkward guy like him had so much luck? Yet, when his mind went back to her and what he had confessed a few seconds before, he wasn't so sure if his luck was still with him. Her face became still, almost expressionless. There was a long silence between Raquel and him as she gazed from one to the other of his eyes - as if she was considering something. Was she mad at him? Had he just ruined everything?

But then, before he could say anything else, she slowly removed her hands from his and moved a few centimeters away from him, leaving a small gap between. Her sudden change in posture let his blood run cold. A panicked feeling in his chest told him that he was going to lose her, that she was just going to get up and walk out of his life. Sergio gulped hard, finding it hard to find the right words. It felt like minutes passed without a reaction from her or a word from him, and so he cleared his throat and started anew.

“Raquel, before you never want to talk to me again. Please let me explain, I...I…” Sergio said nervously.

“You, what?” she asked him, and was almost sure there was a distant tone in her voice now.

“I’m sorry. I’m quite nervous because I never told anyone about it,” he pushed his black frames back up his nose and gazed back at her shyly. “I... I told you a little about my family, but I didn’t tell you everything,” he briefly glanced at Raquel and saw how she raised both of her brows. Did she want him to go on? Was he making it worse?

She leaned back on the bench where they were sitting. He couldn’t help but notice that she was moving further and further away from him. But then again she hadn’t gotten up and walked away from him yet, so maybe she was still interested in what he would say next. He realized that, now that he was going to reveal one of his biggest secrets to her, it didn’t help that he could feel her eyes on him – he felt as if she could see straight through him.

“So, I’m all ears, _Sergio_ ,” she said, and hearing his name out of her mouth sent a wave of mixed feelings through him. “Why did you lie to me for three months?”

He took a very deep breath and closed his eyes; his mind was catapulting him back in time through his past and when he opened his eyes again, he did his best to hold on to any shred of calm still left in his mind. “I told you my mother died when I was very young, and I told you too my only friend Arash moved to another country when I was nearly 12,” he began nervously and pushed his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose for the third time in a row. “When my dad died shortly after I turned 13, I had lost almost everyone important in my life. My only family from this moment on was my older half-brother Andrés.”

Sergio raised his head and he thought that he could see her give him a sympathetic look, and he felt encouraged to continue. “As you know, I was sick, I had to take so many medications and they did countless tests, I felt like a pin cushion and test object in one person. I’m sure you can imagine, all these things cost a lot of money, and my brother had to take care of me and of the hospital bills. In the beginning, he was able to pay them, he had two jobs and his study. After a few months, he lost his first job because he was too tired and was late to work several times. One thing led to another, and he lost his other job too and couldn't pay the tuition fees anymore.”

As he kept telling her about the darkest chapter in his life, the knot in his stomach became tighter again, and he just wanted to run away, forget about it all. Never before had he felt this vulnerable. But perhaps this was a good thing. He had lived much too long with his alias. An alias really had many benefits, but no… enough of this, he decided.

Sergio swallowed hard against the nauseous feeling in his stomach and went on with a quivering voice. “One day, when he visited me, the hospital told him to pay for the last three months or they would send me away. Of course, he promised to pay them and left the hospital, just to come back two days later. I remember he told me to go outside for a walk, and of course I went with him. Without turning back, we drove from San Sebastian to Madrid as fast as we could. During the drive, he told me that we would change our names so they wouldn't find us. At this young age, it was my brothers only way out of the huge amount of debt we had to pay. Ever since this day, my name is Salvador Martin in public. We lived in a small flat with a friend of my brother’s. No one knows why, but within a short time, I had recovered completely.”

Sergio gave Raquel a hopeful look after he had finished. Would she believe his story? He still couldn’t tell how she felt about him now.

“But you know it is a crime,” she said and kept looking at him, “and you know I could arrest you.”

His eyes went wide, and his stomach turned, it almost hurt. If she arrested him, the whole plan for the heist would be in danger, that's what he noticed right away. Why the hell had he told her this? Why hadn’t he just stuck to his original plan to get some general information from her? Why did telling her the truth feel like the right thing to do? He desperately searched his mind for an answer to what she had said, but the only thing his mind offered was an empty void. For the first time in his life, he couldn’t think. Just when he looked up again, Sergio noticed that her face slowly lit up and a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.

Plagued by uncertainty, he asked. “Uhm...am I arrested now?” With this question, he was given with a soft smile which made his heart skip a beat, and he felt himself relax a little.

“Normally I should,” she said, “but that was more than 25 years ago, so it's time-barred. Plus, I don't want to. You’ve already suffered enough in your life. Just one thing, why didn't you tell me your real name from the beginning?” She raised a brow and leaned back on the bench.

“It's a secret I had to hide for so long, and over time, it turned into a bad habit. Plus, I don’t trust people right away. I need to know them before I can open up. That's why I didn't tell you from the beginning. I’m sorry Raquel.” He looked down to hide how he blushed, and he definitely didn't expect what followed. Raquel laid her index finger under his chin and raised his head, so that he had to look into her warm brown eyes, which were illuminated by the lanterns around the pond.

“That’s indeed a bad habit. But what done is, is done. I mean, you were a child and couldn't make a decision like that by yourself. You could blame your brother for what he did, but in the end, he did all this to protect you.” For short moment Raquel stopped and moved closer to him until only a few centimeters were left between both. “Do you think you know me better now?”

“Seems like it,” Sergio whispered, still gazing into her eyes and moved his head slightly closer. It felt like her index finger under his chin pulled him to her even more. Suddenly Raquel blinked and gave him a shy smile. When she pulled her finger away from his chin, she held her open hand in front of his body. He looked at her hand and back into her eyes. “My name is Raquel, and you are?” she asked in a sweet tone.

All he could do, of course, was nudge his glasses back and shake her hand. “Hello Raquel, I’m Sergio.” 

“Nice to meet you Sergio,” Raquel said, but this time his name from her mouth sounded like the most wonderful melody and if he hadn’t been so shy, he would have grabbed her beautiful face and given her a soft kiss.

He shook his head shortly to clear his mind. “Uhm... should we go back?”

“Yes, maybe I’ll be able to put Paula to bed.” 

As both rose from the bench and walked back to the Hanoi slowly and in comfortable silence, out of the corner of his eyes, he could see that she turned to him several times. “Why are you looking at me like this?”

“I don’t want to start this again, but why did they shoot you dad? I’m just trying to understand why the police would do something like that to an innocent person.”

That was the last thing he had expected after their talk, but Raquel was unpredictable, and he would tell her the truth, though he would omit one tiny detail. It wasn't a lie then. “When he went out of the bank, they shot him. My brother said my dad was at the wrong place at the wrong time.” 

“Oh, this is really sad. I’m sorry you lost your father like this Salva...oh, I mean Sergio.” She laughed, embarrassed. “I need to adjust to your new name.”

“Thank you, Raquel.” Sergio sighed briefly. “And by the way, my name isn’t new, just the information. I'm sorry again.”

“It's ok now. Thank _you_ for listening to me. I can’t tell you how much better I’m feeling right now. It really helps to talk about it and of course the hot chocolate helps. I should try this with Paula when she’s sad.” As they reached her car, parked in front of the Hanoi, they stood in silence in front of each other for a moment. This time, it was Sergio who took the initiative, stepped closer to her and softly brushed his lips against her cheek. Overwhelmed by her scent, he felt slightly dizzy. He wasn't sure if his ears were still working properly, but he was pretty sure he heard a soft sigh from her.

“Good night Raquel,” he said softly, as he stepped back from her tiny frame. “I will call you, maybe we can have lunch together sometimes.”

“Yes, maybe. Good night _Sergio_ ,” she said sweetly, opened the door of her car and let herself fall into her seat. Raquel started the motor, buckled her seatbelt and gave him a last glance through the front window.

The moment burned itself into his mind: her eyes met his and a sweet smile played on her lips. The tingle he had felt the last days and hours faded, only to be replaced by thousands of butterflies and fireworks which exploded in every single cell of his body. All the air in his lungs left instantly, it felt restrictive at first and he had to take a deep breath. As the oxygen filled his respiratory system the warm feeling inside of him was stronger than ever, and in this moment, he knew he was lost. He knew now what his brother had meant, and worst of all, it wasn’t supposed to happen, not with her. He was falling deeply for the enemy – more than that – he got a taste of what it felt like to fall in love, to fall in love _for the first time_.

***

A few hours later, Sergio was calculating, searching through documents, and calculating again and again. He ran his hands through his hair. He couldn't believe what was in front of his eyes. Once more he had to call Arash to check another source.

“Prof,” answered his friend.

“Can you check Raquel’s and Rodrigo’s payment roll? May to July eight years ago. There should be a special payment mentioned somewhere.”

“Sergio, it's already four in the morning, you´re calling for the 100th time tonight. I'm exhausted, can we just stop and continue later?”

“No,” Sergio said curtly. 

“Come on,” Arash complained and took a deep breath.

“Do I have to remind you that you will get a huge amount of money for your help? So, help me.”

Sergio heard from the other line a grumpy mumble and something that sounded like an ‘okay’. “May to July, correct?”

“Yes, thank you Arash.”

“Fuck you.” Sergio smiled to himself, he knew his friend too well sometimes. In the background he heard some fast-typing noises. With excitement, Sergio waited for an answer. “Prof, why are you so eager to help this woman?”

Sergio cursed himself. At some point, he would have expected such a question from Arash, but he hadn’t expected it so soon. What should he tell him? He wasn't really sure about his own feelings, and he had just started to experience whatever he was feeling; how should he explain this to Arash? On the other hand, he had been his friend for nearly 30 years, they had shared the one or another story with each other. Why not be honest with his friend? “Would it be enough if I tell you I like her?”

“You like a woman?” Arash chuckled through the phone.

“Unfortunately, yes. The problem is that I’m not supposed to like her. She’s the enemy, but she’s as fucked by this system as I am. Ever since she told me about her past, I can’t get her or her story out of my head. She…she…”

“She?” Arash asked calmly.

“She deserves better. After everything she has gone through… She’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. I want to help her have a better life, so she can rest and be happy again.” For a short moment it was silent between both friends, until the Iranian broke the silence.

“Sergio likes a woman. I thought I would die before that would ever happen.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, nothing, Sergio. Let's put it like this: it's just not the norm for you. I mean, when did you last have a girlfriend?

“Not this again. For the last time she wasn't my girlfriend. Just a friend of Andrés’.” Suddenly exhausted, he had to hold his head with one hand, while pressing his phone to his ear with the other. He didn't want to talk about this topic even when Arash was right.

“You started talking about liking _that_ woman, not me. And I'm sure, after nearly fifteen years without a woman…”

“Bravo, thank you for making me look like a monk.” Sergio rolled with his eyes.

“Hey, no need to get grumpy. And if I didn´t know you better, I would think you’re a monk. Sergio fifteen years without women and sex. How did you do that? I would go insane and explode.”

“Madre mia, how do I do it?” he mumbled more to himself than to Arash. “I just don't have any desire to do it, that's all. Besides, from time to time...you know.” Sergio hit his forehead with his palm and grimaced. What the hell was going on with him? Why did he pour oil into the fire?

“I know _what_?” Sergio could practically hear his friend smirking through the phone.

“I will not tell you anything more. And now, would you please check these payment rolls and then I will leave you in peace,” he countered annoyed.

“Ok, ok...let me check.” He heard some clicking noises on the other end. “There’s nothing unusual for either of them in May, same for June and…in July, there is a special salary declared as bonus with a long number attached to it. It looks quite like the numbers from the normal salaries but still a bit different. And Raquel’s bonus number is different from Rodrigo’s.”

“Please send it over,” Sergio said, his heart was racing fast now, and he had the feeling he would find something huge.

“Here is it, prof.” A small ping announced a new message in his mailbox.

After checking the document carefully for several minutes, he called suddenly out. “The number could be dates! 1307180310030607. What do you think?” Sergio heard some fast clicking with the mouse again.

“Bingo. Murillo joined all four dates. Rodrigo only did on the 13th and some other dates…” It was suddenly silent on the other end of Sergio’s line.

“Arash, are you still there?”

“Yes, yes…let me check something again. Prof, you won’t believe it. _All_ of them joined a transport on the 13 of July. What do you think it means?” Arash yawned into the receiver loudly.

“I don’t know yet. Nothing good, I would say. At a first glance, it looks to me like they did a special job, with special circumstances and special orders. But I will go through the files in the morning once more. Go to bed, you already helped me a lot.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Arash. You’re tired. I’m tired too, and finding the infamous needle in the haystack requires a clear mind.”

“No problem, good night.” Arash yawned heartly while Sergio suppressed a slight chuckle.

“Good night. Oh, and please don’t forget to check Raquel’s files for the restraining order, when you’re awake.”

“How could I forget that, prof?” He said in a mocking tone and Sergio could almost see Arash in front of him rolling his eyes. Arash’s tone changed a second when he went on. “You really like her?” Arash asked Sergio in a softer tone.

Sergio sighed deeply. “Yes, really much.”

"That’s good Professor. Really good,” he replied, “sleep well.” The line went dead. Sergio took a breath, wrote the dates onto some notes in bold letters and gathered all documents together. He would continue later. At this moment, his mind was at this moment tired from everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. He shut down his laptop and went into the bedroom, changed into his pajamas and when his head hit the pillow, he was immediately fast asleep.

***

Sergio was back in the little park. It was dark and silent – too silent for his liking. Not even the small waterfall was audible, but when he turned around, he was rewarded with the most wonderful view.

Raquel.

Her long hair lay wavy over her shoulders, her eyes were shining, and he could see the full moon reflecting in her brown orbs. She wore a green, shimmering scarf, a dark shirt, a light brown coat and jeans. She stepped towards him. She was so close, Sergio could feel the warmth of her body, and her scent was intoxicating. He softly touched her hips with his hands and gazed into her eyes. His mind was blank as he slowly moved his head closer and closer, the only thing that registered was her breath against his skin. Their lips nearly touched when…

…his phone rang beside him, violently interrupting his dream and he woke up with a start. Sergio’s head was spinning, and he needed a second to remember where he was. Still dizzy from his dream, he blindly grabbed the phone from the nightstand and accepted the call.

“Yes.” Sergio answered with a raspy voice, took his glasses and put them onto his nose.

“Don’t tell me you were still sleeping.” Arash’s happy voice, sounded through the speaker.

“Ash? Why are you calling so early?”

“Excuse me? It's half past two. I tried calling you four times.” 

Now wide awake, he checked his wristwatch and got out of his bed. “Madre mia, you’re right. What happened?”

“Not that much. I just want to inform you that I’m a genius.” Sergio imagined his friend proudly smiling at himself.

“Tell me, Genius,” Sergio yawned and walked into the kitchen with his mobile, getting himself a glass of water.

“Another judge is looking into Ms. Murillo´s restraining order, and you know what? It seems like the judge hates men. She never rules in favor of men. Even when the woman’s evidence was inconclusive.”

“This sounds like the information I was looking for. Very good news. Let’s hope they don’t postpone it until next year,” Sergio mentioned a bit worried.

“Even better, it’s marked as urgent procedure from the supreme court,” Arash laughed heartly. He sounded satisfied with himself.

“You’re truly a genius. Can I call you later? I need to wake up properly, and I need a coffee.”

“You and your coffee. Go, go, just call me.” Arash was still laughing as the line went dead. Before he could wrap his mind around the information he has just learned about Raquel and his dream - he needed a shower and a coffee.

***

With a full stomach and the much-needed coffee in his system, Sergio walked his way back to the flat. Because his mind was occupied with the police’s information he had uncovered with Arash this night and what they could mean, he didn’t notice that his legs led him in a specific route through the busy streets of Madrid. He was still deep in thought when a woman’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and just then, Sergio saw the secondhand store and Día.

“Hello,” Día said.

“Hello Día.”

“So? Did your mother like the telephones?” She stopped changing a poster in the display in front of her shop, looking curiously at him.

“My mother? Yes, yes. She liked them a lot. Thank you again.” He gave her a polite smile and was about to say goodbye and continue his way, when he gazed at the poster. A simple phrase “Time will tell” and a wristwatch was visible. Instantly, Raquel’s sad face from the day before, when she told him about her father’s watch came back to his mind. Sergio wasn’t sure if fate wanted to tell him something specific or if it was once again just a lucky coincidence. He had a feeling that it was the right thing to do.

“Día, is the watch still available?”

“You mean the wristwatch?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Sure.” She grinned at him and Sergio nudged his glasses back.

“I couldn’t get it out of my head, even at night.” He said, thinking more about Raquel than the watch.

“These are the best purchases. Come!” She said and entered the shop. Sergio followed her, an excited tingle running through his stomach as he thought about what Raquel would say when she would hold the watch in her hands _again_ …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.
> 
> Until the next update :)
> 
> You can also find me on twitter: linda_mj0310  
>  See you there (imagine how Itzi said it 🤩)


	9. Friday Dinner? Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A summary of events until the special Friday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :)
> 
> Ages ago, I posted the last chapter of this story.   
> I'm sorry it took me so long to give you finally a new chapter.  
> A lot of bad things happened in the end of last year and I wasn't motivated to write at all.  
> I hope this bad phase of my life is finally over and I can write a lot :)  
> Another chapter(and the second part) is nearly ready and will be posted during the next week and another chapter is already in process ;)  
> This chapter is just an in between until we will come finally to part 2 ;) so be prepared.
> 
> I would like to thank my amazing beta readers, ch_rainlily for finding a gap during exams to read the new chapters and her always lovely critic :*  
> A huge thanks to thegirloverseas, you're truly an angel and have so much patience with me and my chaotic writing sometimes. I can't thank you enough :*
> 
> A special thanks goes to shortstoriesforlove for her advice and encouraging words :*
> 
> Last but not least, thanks to all the reader who still sticking to this story.
> 
> And now...enjoy ;)

Madrid, 10 months before the first heist (or one week before Christmas)

* * *

Raquel changed her position, sitting straighter now while resting against the back of the couch. She had been there for a few hours on this grey and cold Sunday; Paula on the opposite side of the couch, both wrapped in a cozy blanket and sipping hot tea from their favorite mugs, watching one of Paula’s all-time favorite movies – Frozen.

Raquel glanced over at her mother, who buried her nose deeply in the new book she had bought a few days ago. From the facial expressions Raquel had noticed on her mother’s face in the last days, it seemed very thrilling. The expression changed into a smug grin in the last minutes and Raquel knew the book reached now his peak with love and sex. She would definitively read the book, called “The White Queen”, as soon as her mother was done, which wouldn’t take that long.

Raquel turned her head to Paula who was humming the current song from the animation movie, and Raquel really hoped she didn’t have to watch this movie again, the annoying and pervading songs were too much for her ear canal. Her attention drifted to her phone and much interesting topics – Sergio.

She sighed deeply and took the phone from her blanket-covered lap. The screen was black again, and when she unlocked her phone, she still saw– “Sergio is typing…”. For nearly 10 minutes he had been typing something, but he hadn’t sent it yet.

“What the hell is he writing?” Raquel grumbled to herself, looking up to her mother and Paula hoping she hadn’t said it out loud.

“Who is writing?” Paula asked, while her eyes where still glued to the TV. Nope, she had no such luck, both heard her.

“Yes, cariño. Who is writing?” Her mother turned her gaze from the book she was reading to Raquel, a smile on her face. As their eyes met, Raquel felt as if she was fifteen years old again, trying to hide something from her mother but unable to withstand her gaze.

“I…It’s Sergio.” Raquel cheeks flushed lightly, as she admitted this to her mother and Paula.

“Who is Sergio?” the little girl asked her mother, now turning her head to look at her.

“You already meet him, my love,” Raquel said, and from the corner of her eyes, she could see her mother smiling. “He’s the one from the supermarket, dressed like a professor.”

Paula started to giggle, hiding her mouth behind her hand. “He looked really funny.”

“Yes, that one,” she said with a shy smile on her lips.

“I thought his name is Salva?” her mother asked, now a bit confused.

“I thought so too. But there was a slight misunderstanding between the two of us,” she took a deep breath and continued, readying herself to tell them about him – it was now or never. “Do you remember the day I left quickly after I received the letter from the lawyer?”

Both nodded with their heads, agreeing what she said. “I met him at the Hanoi, and we talked for a while. Uhm…that evening he told me about his name and since that time we talk a bit more often.” To Raquel’s relief, Paula turned her attention back to princess Elsa and Olaf.

“Ok. And why are you be so annoyed then?” The older Murillo teased, closing the book in her hands. Raquel shook her head to come back to the conversation with her mother.

“Sergio is slow like a snail when it comes to writing a message,” Raquel answered, rolling with her eyes.

“Uhm… _You_ and Sergio writing messages to each other?” The satisfaction was visible all over her mother’s face.

“Yes, for a while now,” a shy smile played around her lips, “right now, we are trying to find a date to meet each other again.”

“Uhh… a _date_.” Of course, this was the only thing her mother had heard. Raquel shook her head, when she saw her mother with and exciting expression on her face. Then, she looked back to her phone and saw that he was _still_ writing.

“The problem is,” she sighed again, “we can’t find a day which would suit both of us, due to work and Christmas.”

“But why is it difficult to find a date? If you want to see each other, just do it. These young people nowadays always make everything so complicated,” she rolled her eyes and then looked at Raquel.

“Argh, we are not complicated. Both of us just caught the flu, the next three days he had an important appointment regarding his cider business, then I have to work again the whole week, and I don’t want to leave Paula with you in the evening. I mean you already spend the day with her, you need free time too. The only available day would be next Friday. But he needs to take the night train to visit his brother in Italy for Christmas, so that doesn’t work either, or we could do it at our home.”

A slight sadness was growing inside her stomach. Why did it affect her so much, and why did she crave his presence? When she thought about waiting another three weeks to see him again, it felt unbearable. Raquel didn’t hear her mother completely. “What did you say?”

“I said, what if he comes for dinner next Friday? Maybe we can have it a bit earlier and he can get on his train on time.”

Raquel promptly sat even straighter on the couch. “You wouldn’t mind?” she asked with more excitement in her voice than she wanted to admit.

“Why would I mind? It was my idea,” her mother laughed heartly. “And you’re smiling like a fool when you’re talking about him. Of course, I want to meet this mysterious guy who makes my daughter smile like that.”

“You don’t think it will be strange? I mean, it would be the first man here in this house, since Alberto. What if Paula doesn’t…” Her mother raised a hand to interrupt Raquel in her speech and turned to Paula.

“Nonsense,” she said firmly. “Paula, cariño? Would you mind if your mom’s friend would come over for dinner next Friday?” The young girl glanced from the TV to her grandma.

“No, why not.” was all she said and turned her attention back to the TV and Olaf the Snowman.

A satisfied smile appeared on her mother’s lips. “See, no problem at all. Now, tell him. Friday at 7pm, a no is not acceptable.” She opened her book again and continued reading.

Stunned by her mother’s words, she took her phone and shook her head with a grin on her lips. The oldest Murillo was always full of surprises. Raquel wrote him in a short message with the time and the date, including an extra note saying that her mother wouldn’t accept a no.

Before she pressed the send button, she thought about if it was a good idea to invite a stranger into her house where the two most important people in her life lived once more. Could she take this risk? She gazed at her mother again. The older woman and Paula had said it wasn’t a problem at all, so why did she see it as a problem? She pressed send and waited for his answer.

A “Yes, I would love that” appeared on her screen and the butterflies in her stomach went crazy when she read the few words again and again.

***

When Raquel lay in her bed while watching TV that evening, her mother knocked softly on her door to wish her good night as she did every night.

“Sleep well Raquel.”

“Good night mom,” she turned to the door where her mother was leaning against the frame.

“One last question, cariño,” she said and walked over to Raquel’s bed, then placed herself at the end and glanced at her daughter.

“Yes?” Raquel asked curiously.

“You like him, don’t you?”

She was not sure what it was, what she felt for Sergio, but the tingle in her belly indicated something more, something strong. She could say that she was very attracted to his dimples when he was smiling, his shyness, his soothing voice and his kind eyes. Yes, she liked him – beyond that. But she was afraid to get hurt again, to suffer again and feel alone.

Her eyes went back to the older Murillo. “I kind of like him.”

“Why kind of?”

“I’m afraid. What if it will end like the last relationship I had? What if he will hurt me again like Alberto?” she said, with a sad tone in her voice, lowering her gaze to her intertwined hands.

Her mother reached for Raquel’s hands, squeezing them lightly. “Raquel, I know it won’t happen again.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Let’s say it’s an old woman’s intuition,” she said softly, stroking slowly over the back of Raquel’s hand. “I know it is hard for you to open up again, to trust someone, but if you feel he’s worth it, do it.”

“I don’t know how. I have to think of Paula. What if she doesn’t like I’m seeing someone else? I remember the fuss she made when I left Alberto.” Raquel lowered her head.

“Raquel, look at me, please. I’m not saying you should forget about Paula or her wellbeing, but I give you one piece of advice. Start being happy again and stop looking out for other people. You have only one life. Enjoy, live and love.”

“But…”

“No but! Just listen to what your gut is telling you this time instead of your rational brain.”

“It’s easier said than done.

“Raquel, no one said you should jump him the day he will walk through that door. But I wouldn’t mind if you do it when no one is around.”

“MOM. Stop that.”

“What? Just enjoy the time you have and who knows?” her mother shrugged. “Try to open up and maybe something wonderful will happen.”

“Yes, maybe,” she said with teary eyes, truly touched.

“I want to see you happy Raquel, this is all I want. It’s time to think about what you want a bit more,” she squeezed her hands one last time and rose from her daughter’s bed, walked slowly to the door and turned to her once more. “And if he’s not the one, then just have sex,” her mother left with a smirk on her lips.

“MOOOM.” Raquel whispered loudly. “You’re unbelievable,” she said more to herself than to her mother who was out of sight, behind her closed door. A sigh left her lips - her mother was right, at least she could try.

***

Raquel turned in her bed, after she turned off the TV, laying on her side and glancing through the window in her room. The crescent moon shone bright on the clear sky, stars blinked slightly, and the view calmed her down. Letting the thoughts, she had swirling through her mind and transported her back to the last two weeks.

One day, after Raquel and Sergio had separated from their eventful evening full of revelations, her day seemed to start perfectly. Paula woke up earlier than usual and bought her coffee to bed, not strong enough to give her the morning kick she needed so desperately, nonetheless it was the best start of a day in a long time. They even had the time to cuddle a few minutes more in each other’s embrace before they started the morning smoothly.

On her way to work, Sergio called and asked her if she wanted to join him for lunch at the Hanoi. She agreed instantly and was excited to see this man with the many quirks again.

He looked a bit old fashioned and bookish in his suit with the tie, but in a very handsome and sexy way. Sergio was still a mystery to her, even more after their talk – nonetheless she wanted to know more about him and his life. She had the feeling he was worth it.

Work started pleasantly this very day, Ángel took some of the reports she needed to finish and helped her with completing them. Even a coffee in her favorite mug was placed on her desk after she came back from Señor Sanchez’s office. He even had some nice words for her work lately; life hadn’t felt this good in a long time.

Unfortunately, her luck didn’t last long. Sergio called thirty minutes before their lunch date and canceled due to a spontaneous meeting with an investor for his cider business. Of course, she understood how important it was for him and promised to call him after work. But nonetheless a sad feeling run through her.

This promised call would never happen, only five minutes after Sergio ended the call, the police station received a call with a new case: Robbers in a supermarket with 38 hostages. In the end it took her more than seven hours of her negotiation skills to overpower the three thieves and secure the release of the hostages. The only good news was that no one got injured.

The bad news was that Raquel arrived home totally exhausted and with a sore throat in the very early morning hours. She climbed in her own bed and noticed Paula sleeping peacefully with her stuffed penguin in her arm on Raquel’s side of the bed. She cuddled closer to her daughter and buried her nose in Paula’s smooth hair, falling asleep instantly with the sweet scent of her daughter in her nose.

When she woke up by her vibrating mobile phone around midday, her head felt three sizes bigger as usual and her throat was even more sore. Blindly groping the vibrating device from her nightstand, she accepted the call without opening her eyes- her head would hurt much more if she did.

“Hello?” Raquel said, her voice raspy.

“Hello Raquel, it’s me, Sergio,” his voice greeted her though the phone. She heard him cough several times before he continued. “I just wanted to check on you.”

“Hi, Sergio. Yes, I wanted to call you, I totally forgot,” Raquel said, as she slowly opened her eyes, a sharp pain pulsating in her temples, and a groan left her lips.

“Raquel? Is everything ok?”

“Far from it, I feel like a tank rolled over me.” A shiver run over her arms as she touched her forehead with the back of her hand, the heat radiating from her skin.

“Then that makes two of us,” Sergio said, coughing again. “I think, I caught a cold. I’m feeling awful.”

“Oh no. I’m sorry Sergio you feel sick too. So sorry again, I forgot to call you. My day was just horrible, with a new case which took me hours to solve. And I thought you wouldn’t appreciate me calling you at four in the morning, don’t you think?”

“Please don’t apologize, you can reply when you have time Raquel. Puh, sounds like an awful day indeed. I was just a bit… uhm… let’s say worried,” the tone of his voice became a bit softer than before.

Raquel smiled at his last words. “You really know how to lighten my mood, even when I feel awful.” A comfortable silence settled between them, when Sergio continued.

“I’m glad, I could brighten your day with some silly words. I will leave you and your bacteria alone,” Sergio chuckled.

“I could say the same about you, mister. Thank you again and get well soon.”

“The same to you. Bye Raquel.”

“Bye.” She finished the call and closed her eyes to avoid the daylight, feeling too tired to get up, falling asleep withing seconds again. Unfortunately, at the end of the day she felt even more terrible. This cold had turned into a full-blown flu, and the whole Murillo household suffered for nearly two weeks – just like Sergio.

In these two weeks, Raquel had a lot of time to order her thoughts, let them fly and review the last months and years as she lay terribly sick in her bed or on the couch for endless hours. Her mind wandered to Sergio and the revelation of his real name several times – she had to admit that she was still slightly shocked and surprised.

Never, not even in her wildest dreams had she thought about, that he would kind of lie to her. As much as it was hurting her in the beginning, it was in the end a protective mechanism he had curated and lived for the last 25 years. She couldn’t blame him at all, she herself had to protect her private life from her ex-husband too. After her divorce, and the damage Alberto caused, she felt vulnerable and insecure.

Then, she remembered how he had glanced into her eyes with his brown orbs when they meet at the park, and they were the reason why she now felt stronger and more secure. They were warm, honest and had a sparkle she hadn’t seen in a long time. Not to mention the sweet tingle in her stomach when he was near.

That night, when they were so close, with her finger und his chin, she had wanted to lean in and kiss his bad memories away, but her insecurity had taken over and she had turned away from him. 

She recalled in her mind, how sad his eyes had been when Sergio told her about one of the darkest chapters of his life. She didn’t want to imagine how hard it must be for a thirteen-year-old boy without a family who loved him unconditionally. His brother did everything possible to rescue them both and the only way out was to run away as far as possible. It was beyond her imagination when she thought about how he was growing up. Maybe this was a reason, no wonder he was a little bit awkward in his behavior – but cute.

When Raquel had nearly recovered from her flu and felt much better, she finally had the strength to open all the letters she had received during the last days. One of them was from her lawyer, the restraining order process would be resumed. With a new judge. She really couldn’t believe her luck, that her case lay on the desk of judge Hernandez right now.

She was a woman in her mid-forties, a woman who was abused like she had been, a woman who had gotten divorced like Raquel had, and since then, men hadn’t had an easy time with her. Now she hoped, her own ex-husband would have a hard time with her. Raquel prayed that her restraining order would be approved before Christmas, which would be the best Christmas gift of all times.

***

Raquel closed slowly her eyes. She didn’t know how long she had been laying in her bed gazing at the moon, thinking about the last days. But right now, another thought crossed her mind and she really looked forward to Friday and the dinner with Sergio. She turned to her other side and fell asleep within a few seconds, with a small smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for leaving kudos or a comment...of course, if you like it.
> 
> Until the next update :)


	10. Friday Dinner!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raquel and Sergio have finally a dinner together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :)
> 
> I'm sorry, I couldn't update the new chapter earlier...work was again a bit crazy and live wasn't that easy in the last weeks.  
> Anyway, here is the new one.
> 
> I want to thank ch_rainlily deeply for her support and help for this special chapter!! You're an angel <3
> 
> A huge thanks goes to shortstoriesforlove, I'm endlessly grateful for your help and to know you! <3
> 
> The biggest thank goes to thegirloverseas, for her amazing help, for teaching and correcting me in the best way possible. I can't say it enough...you're amazing, a wonderful person and a huge help. You're the reason of my improvements and thank you again for your patience <3<3<3
> 
> And now...enjoy ;)

* * *

The evening had started wonderfully relaxing. Her mother had cooked her famous paella while Paula had watched some cartoons on TV. While the two Murillos were busy with cooking and watching TV, Raquel had had a lively conversation with Sergio about the Basque country and where they had grown up.

She had enjoyed every minute with Sergio. Having him in her living room had felt strange and so good at the same time. Time flew by and the first highlight of the evening had been a touch of his fingers against hers when he had reached for the water bottle in front of him. To say that the butterflies in her stomach hadn’t gone crazy and the tingle in her lower belly hadn’t been almost overwhelming would have been a colossal understatement. 

After dinner, he had helped her clear the table and had reached for her waist to avoid bumping into her. Raquel had almost wanted to protest when Sergio took his hands away instantly, as if touching her waist would burn his fingers. How much she wished his hands would linger at her waist a few seconds longer and wondered what they could do – those skilled fingers.

She had exhaled deeply and had sipped on the water she was drinking and snapped back to the view in front of her. After an awfully long time, her home seemed like a home again: warm, cozy, and filled with happiness.

Raquel couldn’t believe what had happened at the Murillo dining table. Paula was giggling and clapping her hands from pure joy. Her mother was smiling at Sergio admiringly as if she had found her perfect son-in-law. And Sergio? Well, he had created one origami figure after another out of their napkins. The little blonde girl had squealed in delight when he had placed a penguin in front of her.

“Look mama, look,” she said, holding the figure above her head, “he looks like Alfred.”

“Who is Alfred?” Sergio asked, already folding another napkin with his skillful fingers.

“It’s the stuffed penguin she has had since she was a baby. Without Alfred she can’t fall asleep,” Raquel explained, resting her elbow on the table while holding her head with one hand.

“Sergio, SERGIO.” The dark blond girl shouted excitedly at him, kneeling now on the chair she was sitting on so she could lean closer to him over the table. “Can you make another penguin? Pleeeeeease,” she pleaded with big puppy eyes.

“Paula,” Raquel said, “you don’t have to scream. I’m sure Sergio can hear you loud and clear.” 

“But mama. It’s a napkin penguin.” The happiness in her voice was unmistakable.

“Paula, why do you want a second one? I could do something else,” Sergio asked as he finished a crane, placing the bird in front of the girl.

“Because penguins stay together their entire life and never separate. This one can’t be alone, you know. He needs a girlfriend,” she said seriously, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.

“I understand. A girlfriend,” he had said, and nudged his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. He seemed very shy for a second, surprised by the girl’s explanation, but had recovered shortly after. What Sergio didn’t notice was the glance her mother send towards Raquel from the other side of the table.

A mixture of a mischievous grin and a serious expression was in her eyes. A look Raquel knew too well. She was sure that, as far as her mother was concerned, Sergio was already Raquel’s boyfriend. The thought wasn’t that bad – but maybe it was not the right decision at the moment with her divorce and her job. And she didn’t know if he felt the same about her, she thought as her eyes traveled back to Sergio. 

Her gaze lingered a bit longer on his skillful fingers, as he created another penguin for Paula. For the second time this evening, she asked herself what these hands would be able to do to her body – a thought as hot as the man in front of her itself. Her eyes moved over his free forearms, Sergio’s sleeves rolled up and stretched sexily over his muscles, the first button of his shirt open to reveal some dark chest hair. When she had reached his biceps with her eyes, her heart rate sped up at the thought of how they could hold her tight. 

“Mama, is everything ok? You look like you have a fever.” 

“Paulita, I’m sure your mama is ok, just deep in thoughts,” her mother winked at her. 

“What? No, I don’t think I have a fever. I just had…Uhm…the case I worked on this week on my mind,” she said, blushing instantly at her weak attempt at concealing what she had really been thinking about. And to top this embarrassing moment, Sergio looked at her like she was completely crazy.

As if her mother knew exactly that she had lied about the case, she asked smugly. “What was the case about, cariño?” Oh, how she hated when her mother did that.

“I think Sergio wouldn’t be very interested in my work,” she said, hoping this would put an end to this whole ordeal.

“To be honest,” he said, nudging the glasses back onto his nose and turned towards her. “I’m very interested in your work and all the cases you have solved. But I’m afraid I need to leave now, otherwise, I would miss my train,” he replied, finishing the sentence with a glance at his old watch.

Raquel thanked him internally for his answer. She really didn’t want to talk about her work or any case right now. Relieved, she took a sip from her water and rose from her chair at the same time as Sergio.

“Thank you, Mrs. Murillo, for the wonderful dinner. The paella was very delicious.”

“Stop calling me Mrs. Murillo, I feel old when you do it, even though I _am_ old. It’s Marivi for you,” her mother said with a smile on her lips. She walked a few steps towards him and opened her arms to embrace him. He accepted her hug and released her seconds later, unsurely glancing back and forth between the floor and her mother. 

“Goodbye Paula,” he said, and the girl raised her hand, then formed a fist. He did the same, and both smiled at each other as they exchanged the latest farewell ritual Paula and her classmates had come up with. When she turned away from him, she pressed the two-penguin origamis tightly to her chest.

“Bye and thank you for Alvaro and Amaia,” she said and flashed him a toothy grin, turning away to walk into the living room, already playing with the penguins. 

“Young lady. Go straight to the bathroom and brush your teeth, it’s already past your bedtime,” Raquel ordered.

“But mom, I wanted to play with them,” Paula complained, holding the paper figures above her head.

“If you go right now you can play a little more until I kiss you goodnight, alright?” As fast as she could, Paula ran up the stairs, giggling happily about her mother’s compromise.

“Bribing is important at this age. I will watch the little monster brush her teeth correctly,” her mother said and followed her granddaughter, she turned towards him after few steps, “Feliz Navidad Sergio, and have a stressless trip.”

“Feliz Navidad Marivi, and thank you again,” Sergio replied with a smile, took his jacket from the wardrobe, and put it on.

“I will walk you to the car,” Raquel mumbled and gazed back at him, after throwing her mother a knowing look when she smiled slyly at her while walking up the stairs.

“That would be great. I, I have something for you,” he stammered, looked at the floor, and nudged his glasses back up his nose.

“What? But that wasn’t necessary,” she said with a shy smile on her lips. She opened the front door and laid her hand on his broad shoulders. The small touch bristled under her fingers.

The cold and clear winter air hit her face. She inhaled deeply, the smell of coming snow tickled her nostrils, and the contrast of the icy wind on her skin was a welcome change to the heat in her house.

“Uhm...I know, but I saw it and thought about you.”

“Uhh... Sergio, you’re already thinking of me?” she teased him, and they stepped into the frosty December air. She had leaved the door ajar, when she had followed him, without taking her jacket. Not anymore in the warmth of her home, Raquel had crossed her arms tightly around her middle section as the winter air surrounded her.

“Ehm...I... I” he stuttered nervously, stopping in his tracks, turning back to her.

“It’s ok Sergio, I’m just teasing you.” A shy smile appeared on her lips, as she caught up with him. “By the way, thank you so much for the penguins. They are Paula’s favorite animals, besides Olaf.”

“Olaf?” he asked confused and they continued his walking when she was beside him.

“He’s a snowman from a Disney movie with too many songs in it. She has watched this movie a million times and still can’t get enough. If I have to hear those songs one more time, my ears will start bleeding.” Raquel laughed, and soon they had reached his old red Fiat Ibiza.

“She thrilled and excited,” Sergio answered and opened the passenger side.

“Excited? That’s an understatement. She will play and talk about those figures for weeks to come. I have the feeling, next time she will ask for a zoo.”

“Oh,” he rubbed his neck, “that’s ok. I enjoy making origami figures and if I can make your daughter happy with them, even better.” 

“You’re very sweet,” Raquel mumbled, hugging herself tighter, as the wind blew ice cold air in her direction.

Sergio turned to her, holding a small box wrapped in brown paper in his hands. “Here, this is for you,” he said nervously, “and Feliz Navidad, Raquel.”

He laid the small box into her hands, beaming at her. How she liked it, when he looked at her like this, his eyes only half-moons behind his glasses, the dimples on his cheeks visible, and an expression of pure bliss in his eyes. 

She could feel the rough material of the paper under her fingertips, and she tore herself away from the expression on his face and looked at the box with curiosity. It wasn’t heavy, nor very big. It looked more like a box for jewelry, oblong and thin. Raquel was about to turn it around to open it when he laid a hand over hers to stop her.

“Please open it later, and uhm…enjoy the time,” Sergio whispered softly. She looked at him, confused. She wondered what he had meant with his last line, but then she became aware of his hands on hers and she didn’t mind that at all.

“If you say so,” she said quietly, as she stepped a few steps closer to him, got onto her tiptoes and wrapped her arm around his neck, and took him into a tight hug. “Thank you so much, Sergio, I don’t know what to say.” 

He didn’t reply. After a few moments, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her a bit closer to his chest. Raquel hoped he couldn’t feel her beating heart when she was so close to him. She detected a touch of his scent, inhaling deeply and feeling slightly dizzy as his pheromones connected with her brain.

After some moments had passed, Sergio mumbled into her hair. “Don’t say anything, just be happy.” He squeezed her tightly one last time, and then he released her from their embrace, and took two steps away from her. She instantly missed his warmth as the cold air surrounded her again.

“I am happy. It was such a wonderful evening and I’m so glad you visited us. I hope you had a good time too?” Raquel asked, glancing shyly at him.

“You have no idea how wonderful this evening was for me. Thank you again for the invitation.” Sergio smiled sweetly at her, raising his arm to put a strand of her hair behind her ear, which the wind had blown over her face. The contact made her shiver, and she had to close her eyes for a second.

When she opened her eyes, his were searching hers until they lost both in each other’s gazes. A spark was in the cold air, nearly tangible, and the butterflies in her stomach returned with full force, while Raquel was standing a few centimeters away from him. 

She noticed how her body moved closer to Sergio’s and he did the same, millimeter by millimeter. Only a few centimeters separated both from each other, his face so close to hers, that she felt his breath on her skin, and she noticed how he leaned slowly down to her.

The gaze Raquel shared with him was intense – so intense that everything around her blurred, only his face was razor-sharp. She had a desire to know every facet, every secret, just every single thing about him.

In that exact moment, all she wanted right now was his lips on hers, sensual and all-consuming. The imagination alone let a shiver run down her spine.

“Raquel. You’re shivering.” He whispered out of the blue, still very near to her face, but moved back from her, the moment he spoke. She had to blink several times to realize the whole situation. The spell of the moment was broken, and she groaned internally, about her shivering body. She shook her head and noticed now how her teeth started chattering against each other.

“Go back inside,” he said, chuckling, “you’re freezing.”

“Yes, you’re right.” The shivering of her body was now uncontrollable, and she was laughing with him.

“Go, Raquel. I need to catch my train from San Fernando at 11 pm, I have to hurry,” he said, looking at his watch.

“Have a safe trip and Feliz Navidad!” She waved with the small box in her hand. “Thank you again.”

“Feliz Navidad, Raquel, and let me know what you think about the gift.” These few words were music to her ears. He said it with so much tenderness that she trembled even more. The cold now unbearable, she hurried back to her house with fast steps, looking back at him for one last time as he started the engine of his car. 

Raquel sighed heavily, and her breath was visible in the cold air. The evening had been so amazing, from the beginning until the end. She noticed her mother approaching her from behind, covering her shaking body in a blanket, and the warmth of this gesture embraced her like the hug from Sergio had a few minutes ago.

“You two look good together. If I were you, I would have grabbed his collar, pulled him against me, and kissed him like there is no tomorrow.”

“MOM? You were watching us?” Raquel couldn’t believe it. She had such an intimate moment with him, and her mother had nothing better to do than to watch them.

“Don’t be mad at your old mother. It was better than any romance I have seen in years. And now, tell me. What is inside this box?” her mother asked curiously.

“Mom? Not only are you spying on us, now you’re obviously curious,” Raquel closed the door, turned to her mother while speaking.

“I’m sorry. It was freezing when I walked down the stairs and wanted to close the door when I saw you two so close. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

“I will hope so, otherwise there will be no wine evenings with me for the next three months.”

“Ok, ok. Got it. No spying on my lovesick daughter,” her mother winked at her, walked back to the living room.

“Could you please stop all this? I’m not lovesick.”

“If you say so, cariño.” The older woman chuckled. Raquel rolled her eyes – this woman knew her too well. “Open it.” The older Murillo ordered excitedly.

“Ok, ok, you are so impatient.” Raquel rolled her eyes and walked back to the dining table. Her mother followed her and took a seat opposite of her. The curiosity inside of her grew from second to second.

After placing the glass of water back onto the table, she carefully opened the edges of the rough brown paper, stuck together with a tape. She removed the paper and inside she found a long light blue box. On the upper lid was a quote, written in fine, clear handwriting – which seemed like Sergio’s.

“Time has a wonderful way of showing us what matters,” she read aloud, and she didn’t know why, but a lump formed in her throat and her heartbeat sped up. She traced the quote softy, and the velvety material of the box. A small smile was now on her lips, the quote just beautiful and true.

She stroked over the blue lid a few more times before she opened the box. A loud sob escaped her lips. She threw one of her hands over her mouth to silence the coming sobs. 

She remembered the wristwatch inside the box like no other, and her view blurred instantly from her unshed tears. With trembling fingers, she carefully stroked the brown watch strap, watch face with the scratch on the right side, the crown, and down to the end of the strap. “It can’t be, how is this even impossible,” she whispered through her hand.

When she took the watch in her hands and turned it around, the italic engraving of the nickname her father used to call her in Basque written on the back – _ilargi ausarta_. The tears fell down her cheeks, and a smile appeared on her lips as she was holding this precious gift against her chest. 

“Raquel? What is going on?” Her mother asked, worried, got up, and walked to her daughter. As she saw what Raquel had in her hands, both of her hands covered her mouth like her daughter had done before. Raquel gazed at her mother, now grinning from ear to ear while the tears streamed over her cheeks.

“How?” the older Murillo asked with a shaking voice. Raquel shook her head, overwhelmed by her own feelings. He – Sergio – had found her father’s wristwatch. The one her idiot of an ex-husband had stolen from her out of revenge. How was that even possible? How did he even find it? 

Carefully, she laid the watch back into the box, wiped the tears from her face, and turned to her mother. Marivi was still beside her, pulled her closer, and tenderly stroked her hair as she lay her own head onto Raquel’s.

The two Murillos stayed silent in this position for a few minutes, still overwhelmed by the gift, until the older woman removed herself from the embrace. Raquel looked up at her mother with teary eyes but an enormous smile on her face. 

She looked back at the watch, and at that moment an idea hit her like lightning. Raquel slowly rose from her seat. “Mom. Don’t wait up for me, I need to go,” she said in a serious tone.

“Now? What are you going to do?”

“I need to catch Sergio.” 

***

As if on autopilot, she walked over to the wardrobe, took her jacket and the car keys, opened the door, and left with quick steps. She didn’t even hear her mother shouting after her to take her mobile phone with her.

As fast as she could, she drove to the San Fernando train station, one eye on the clock. She still had twenty minutes left until the train would leave with Sergio. Raquel hoped so much that she’d be able to catch him before he got on the train and left for two weeks. 

Raquel had the urge to thank him properly in person, a phone call or anything else wouldn’t be enough for such a precious gift. He had given her a part of her beloved father back,

an item which had held so many memories about her father and they all had flooded back to her mind. Grateful was an understatement for what she felt at that moment.

The lightened windows of the houses flew by as she drove through the empty streets of the suburbs of Madrid. All the Christmas lights and twinkling decorations she adored so much and yet didn’t notice at all as she tried to remember the right way. 

A few minutes after she got into her car, she noticed that she didn’t have her mobile phone with her. Driving back was not an option, and she cursed at herself for not even being able to call him to inquire where he was.

Her only option was to trust her intuition and her memory. Relief settled over her when she saw the traffic sign direction her to San Fernando. With squealing wheels, she took the exit and drove to the huge parking place in front of the station. A glance at the watch told her that there were five minutes left until his train would leave. In a hurry, she stopped the car, went out, and ran to the entrance. 

Raquel remembered it was a one-way train station. Years ago, she had taken a train from there to get to the police academy. That meant she didn’t have to search for the right platform. A tiny spark of hope ignited in her stomach now that she wouldn’t have to run from platform to platform until she found the right one. In a rush, and with the newly sparked hope, she passed by some cars, and nearly crashed into an older couple who were walking back to the parking lot hand in hand.

The stairs to the trains were directly in front of her. She took two steps at a time, running up, and passing more and more people coming from the platform. She had problems trying to zigzag through the crowds without crashing into them. Here and there she received indignant glances or some profanity. 

Her heart was beating hard against her ribs. She was totally out of breath as she finally reached the end of the stairs – and the platform. But her heart sank to her stomach and the hope she just moments had before burst like a bubble at the view in front of her. 

The red taillights from the train, driving away slowly, getting faster and faster with every passing second. Now she knew she wouldn’t catch him. The feeling of pure frustration flooded her veins and angry tears burned behind her eyes.

***

A couple of minutes passed and Raquel was still looking in the direction of the departed train, still seeing the red light in front of her eyes. “Joder,” she said louder than expected, sighed deeply, and pushed her blond strands out of her face with both hands. She couldn’t even call him right now, because her damn mobile phone was lying comfortably on the dining table. 

This evening couldn’t have been more bittersweet. On one hand, she got the most precious gift by Sergio. Now she wanted to hug him until he was breathless but couldn’t do it, for obvious reasons – Sergio was on the train and she was here on the platform, alone.

Finally, she turned around in a swift move, walking down the stairs and back to her car, her mind clouded with the realization she wasn’t able to catch him. The whole way she was deep in thought, she didn’t even notice the old red Fiat, she saw in front of her house just an hour ago. 

Raquel still couldn’t believe he had listened to her that carefully during their few meeting and that he had been able to find the precious piece that had once belonged to her father. Never in her entire life, not even during the good days with Alberto, she had received a gift so personal and valuable. For the first time in years, someone cared about her, at least she hoped he cared. After her experience with Alberto, she felt insecure and vulnerable.

Finally, at her car, she took the keys from the pocket of her jacket and pressed the button to open the car. 

“Raquel?” she suddenly heard a voice behind her. As if in slow motion, she raised her head. And there he was.

Sergio – the person who looked like the most handsome man in the world to her, who made her knees go weak instantly by merely giving her a shy smile and who had gifted her a present as unique as the giver itself.

“I…your train? I thought you’re gone. But…” Raquel stammered, holding on to the handle of her car more strongly because of his sudden presence. 

In quick steps, Sergio walked around her car, now standing in front of her, setting his luggage down beside him. “I received a message the train was delayed, that’s why I’m still here,” he smiled at her, stepping a bit closer to where she was standing. “But what are you doing here? I thought you would sit with your mother and drink a glass of red wine.” Curiosity was written all over his face.

“I…I,” Raquel couldn’t say a single word, her mouth went dry, and it felt like her tongue was glued to her palate. When their eyes met, she raised her head a little bit, the relief flooded through her body, her eyes filled with tears – happy tears and a warm smile played on her lips. His surprise reappearance was just too much for Raquel, and she couldn’t hold back her emotions anymore. Slightly embarrassed about her sudden emotions, she raised both of her hands, hiding her face with them.

“Raquel,” Sergio whispered softly. She could hear the crunching stones under his shoes as he stepped closer to her. His warm hands covered hers, and he gently pulled them from her face and brought them to his chest, holding both of her hands carefully with one of his. His free hand touched her chin, raising her head, so she looked at him and searched in his eyes for any hint, why he wanted her to look at him. “Hey, no need to cry. It’s alright.”

A single tear slowly rolled down her cheek “No, it’s not that. It’s,” she had to stop when the enormous lump in her throat appeared again when she thought of her father’s watch. Her expression softened, and she looked back to him.

“What happened, Raquel?” he whispered softly, laying one hand on her cheek and wiping the tear away with his thumb.

“I…” With all her might she tried to swallow the lump, but there was still a quiver in her voice when she went on. “You…the watch…how?” She took her hands from his chest, again overwhelmed with emotions.

“Ahh, I see. You opened it already, I thought you would wait a little bit longer,” Sergio gave her a sly smile, trying to release the tension a little, taking his hand from her cheek and nudged his glasses back onto his nose. “When you told me about your father and the watch, I couldn’t get this out of my head. I thought, how can someone steal something like this out of revenge. How sick is this person who would do such things to you? By luck, I went into a store and saw a wristwatch similar to the one you had described to me, and I was more than surprised to realize it was indeed your father’s. I had no other option than to take it with me.”

“Sergio, you have no idea what this gift means to me. It was my everything when he died and I thought I would never see it again. I mean,” she swallowed, “you gave me the only thing back I had lost twice. First my father and then his watch. And then you came along, and I got it back. This is all so crazy. How is this even possible?”

“I told you, I’m a lucky guy,” Sergio replied with a smirk. Raquel slapped him softly on the shoulder. “Hey, what was the slap for?” Sergio complained with a smirk.

“For the lucky guy,” she sighed and continued. “But really Sergio, I can’t thank you enough. I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve this. How can I ever repay you for this?” With every word, her voice got more and more like a whisper.

“Hey, it’s ok. You don’t have to repay me. Raquel, you deserve so much more and I’m so glad I could make you happy. Your smile alone made it worth it,” he whispered, covered her waist with a featherlight touch of his hands, drawing her closer to him and gazed into her brown irises. “But right now, is not the time to talk about that anymore.”

“And what do you want to do…” Raquel started, when Sergio stopped her in the middle of her line, raising one hand and laying his index finger over her lips to silence her. Leisurely he moved his head closer to hers, now only a few centimeters away from her lips.

As they were both standing beside her car, moving closer and closer to each other, a tiny snowflake landed directly on Raquel’s nose, then another on her cheek, and another on her eyelashes. The cold sensation let her eyes move from Sergio’s to the sky. A moment later, it started snowing harder. 

Raquel giggled happily, still gazing into the snowy sky. “What is so funny?” he asked, and she looked back at him. A few of the white flakes landed on his black hair. He had never looked more handsome than in that moment.

“Right now, it feels like we are in one of Paula’s silly Disney movies,” she said, “you know, the ones where the protagonists are about to kiss and something magical happens. Like this.” An overwhelming tingle spread from her stomach through every cell of her body. When she saw the anticipation in Sergio’s eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

For a brief moment, he looked at the sky too, as if he considered what to say next. After a while he gazed back at her, this time with a certainty in his eyes she never saw before. “And do you think we are some of those protagonists?” 

“I don’t think so, but it feels kind of...magical,” she whispered tenderly. Raquel got onto her tiptoes, holding onto his broad shoulders with both hands, and rubbed two times with her nose over his, waiting for a small reaction from him. When she didn’t feel any resistance, Raquel moved her lips featherlight over his, closing her eyes at the sensation.

Sergio’s lips were warm and smooth against hers, while his beard brushed softly against her chin. For a while, she had dreamed about how it would be to kiss him, to taste him, to touch his neck as she devoured his lips – the reality was much better than her imagination.

She stopped the kiss and pushed herself a few centimeters away from him. His expression was everything she wanted to see, his eyes were closed, his cheeks had a rosy flush and his lips still slightly formed as if her lips were on his. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and then he raised his hand to cover her cheek.

Pulling her closer to him, he lowered his head, and kissed Raquel softly. The sensation inside of her was like a firework, thousands of bubbles seemed to burst the moment he kissed her back. She brought her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss, sucking lightly on his lower lip.

Everything around her got exceptionally quiet, like in the few moments between lighting and a rumble of growling thunder. As if the thunder growled inside of her, she softly moaned when he stroked his tongue tenderly over hers, she reciprocated his action with the same fervor. When Sergio explored her mouth with the utmost care, she knew she would never get enough of him and his hot wet lips, his intoxicating scent, or his firm hands on her cheeks. 

Raquel stopped the kiss for a moment to catch her breath – every kiss she ever shared with someone in her life, felt so wrong compared to this first mind-blowing to kiss with Sergio – she was more than sure, she was irreversibly in love with him…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank's for reading and please leave a comment or kudo if you liked the chapter ;)


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